La courbe de tes yeux
by mikim
Summary: A mysterious letter is sent to Tomoyo who collects it among her fanmail. As usual, Eriol watches. Maybe he knows more than he lets the other think. Epilogue up!
1. Mad

This is my first Tomoyo and Eriol Fanfiction ever. In fact, it's also my first CCS (well, that's not true I tried to write one but I gave up the idea because the fic was really bad…) Anyway, hope you'll like it. 

Standard Disclaimers Apply. You all know the song. Whadda whadda…

                                                                                              Chapter 1. Mad.

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Mad…   
Yeah, that was the only possible reason: he was mad. Otherwise, how could he explain what he was doing?   
He knew better than that, now right? 

He had witnessed her little ritual almost every morning, when she would sigh and open all the love confessions that had elected her shoe locker as home to read them, then breaking hearts when she would go to the rendezvous to always say the same words of polite refusal. So why was he doing it nevertheless?

Nodding to himself, he decided that he was mad, as he slid a piece of paper in her shoe locker. 

Well, he thought, walking away, that was an interesting thought… The Half-Reincarnation of the famous sorcerer Clow Reed, Eriol Hiiragizawa, was mad. 

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

  
La courbe de tes yeux fait le tour de mon cœur  
Un rond de danse et de douceur,  
Auréole du temps, berceau nocturne et sûr,  
Et si je ne sais plus du tout ce que j'ai vécu,  
C'est que tes yeux ne m'ont pas toujours vu… 

Tomoyo stared at the strange message. Among her usual routines, opening and reading love confessions was the one she hated the most. Because she knew she would have to see the boy or girl who had summoned the courage to write a love confession and fix a rendezvous to crush down his or hers hopes.  
But, this morning, besides the usual white letters with sometimes little red hearts drawn on them, she found an odd message, one written in black ink in a delicate calligraphy, on what looked like a piece of parchment. The paper had been carefully folded in four and the only paragraph was delicately written in its middle.   
A little frown touched her brow as she wondered who could have addressed her this strange message and what this meant. 

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

The classroom door slid open once more and the boy, Eriol Hiiragizawa, stepped in. Smiling as always, he waved at his classmates to greet them on that cold morning of late January, his eyes slowly but surely falling on the dark-haired girl, seated in the row in front of his. As expected, she was there, engrossed in the reading of a piece of old parchment, a little frown ceasing her graceful features. Fortunately for him, she didn't notice his arrival; otherwise, she would have certainly seen the strange glint in his eyes that Eriol didn't manage to suppress in time. 

Taking a small breath, Eriol made sure his face wouldn't betray him as he walked down the aisle to his chair, behind the girl.  
She had grown up and matured so much in the last few years after his return to Tomoeda, almost three years ago. She still wore the long hair, today loose on her shoulders; she still had the creamy skin and the angelic voice and her purple eyes still shone with mischief, sometimes, when they would plan pranks on Sayoran, his cute little descendant. But, her face had lost the signs of childhood, its perfect shape with a little pointed chin put her, even more than when she was a child, out of the common beauty standards. In fact, she was beyond them. Her delicate neck, thin fingers and pink lips made each cords of his soul ached each time hers and his eyes would met. 

He loved her purple eyes: deep and mysterious, they could shine with the strength of a thousands suns when she laughed. Their colors, he found out, could change with her moods, even if, one had to look at them really closely to notice it. When she was angry, her eyes would turn into a deeper shade of purple, almost black, like the color of the clouds when a storm was coming closer. But when she was feeling melancholic, her purple eyes reminded him of  the sky when the sun was about to kiss the horizon… An angel, indeed, he thought, sighing lightly as he put his bag on the back of his chair. Whenever he thought about her, he would somehow think of the sky. 

Smiling to himself, he realized, how easy it had been to learn how to read them and see what she tried to cancel, just by watching her. Of course, it meant a lot of watching time, but he never minded to look at her and with all the time they had spent together, it had been easy. As easily, she had learnt how to see through the smiling façade he wore all the times. He remembered how he had found her alone and miserable, when he came back, like him. The first time they had seen each other, when he was back, they both recognized instantly in each other's eyes the same pain and loneliness and they both clung on each other to get out of the black hole in which they were falling.

He had spent four years in England with Kaho but after a difficult break-up, he had decided to lick his wounds in Tomoeda, where his almost daughter and her boyfriend, his cute little descendant lived. He, of course, hadn't forgotten his almost daughter's best friend, but he hadn't thought that she would become so important for his sanity. 

He had broken up with Kaho because he couldn't bear anymore all the lectures and fights they would have, always on the same subject, their age gap. Sure, he once held the soul of Clow Reed and still had half of it, but what Kaho had failed to understand, what Eriol only realized when he went back to school in England, was that Clow Reed wanted more than anything was to live. 

But she didn't understand, no matter how many times he tried to explain. She couldn't stand the fact that he wanted to experience all the joy of youth, because Clow Reed had been old since the day he was born. She couldn't bear when he went out with his friends from school, when he went to the movies, even if he knew the movie was going to be stupid, or when he refused to get married at the age of sixteen because he thought he was too young. That had been  the "too much" for Kaho. After all, Kaho was nine years older than he was and so, with times, she started to wish for different things than running around in the snow, or have a water fight with his guardians. 

So, he and his two guardians, Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun, had fled to the second home he owned, because despite all the fights and arguments, he was still in love with her. He still loved her when they both agreed on splitting up. Like he still loved her when he had wept for the first time of his life in Tomoyo's arms. But with time and her friendship, he managed to stop hurting. 

Oh, he still loved Kaho, but not in the way he used to. No, his love for her was like the one he felt for his former guardians, Kerberos and Yue, he cared for the three of them. It had been a wonderful love to share, just gone but not forgotten and after all, she was his first love, a cherished memory of his life. His life as an almost normal human boy of seventeen years old. 

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

Who could have sent her this strange letter? And what did this paragraph mean? The text was written in the occidental alphabet but Tomoyo was sure it wasn't English. So focused on the paper, Tomoyo only felt Eriol's presence when the latter lightly put his hand on her shoulder. She stiffened in surprise and turned quickly on her seat, the solution of one of her questions so clear now that she could have slapped herself not to think about it earlier. Eriol-kun. He would know what this lines meant and in what language they were. 

  
"Morning, Tomoyo-chan." Eriol said, smiling as her eyes met his.   
"Morning, Eriol-kun." She answered, the letter still in her hand. "Ne, Eriol-kun, do you know what this mean?" she asked, showing him the paper.  
Eriol was careful to look interest and a little surprise as he took the old piece of parchment from her hand. He studied it a little and then her eyes back on Tomoyo, his eyebrows up in a questioning way. "I found it this morning in my locker, among the others." She answered his unspoken question, showing with a little shake of her head the rest of the letters still on her desk.   
"It's French." He answered finally, a little smile on his lips.   
Tomoyo narrowed her purple eyes: she knew what this smile meant. She had learnt to read all his smiles, from the ironic smirk to the embarrassed smile and that one meant something among the lines: "I know something you don't." 

Eriol caught the slight movement of her muscles around her eyes and turned his eyes carefully back to the paper, as if he was studying it. If he wanted this to succeed, he'd better watch himself, and really closely. Tomoyo wasn't one of the easiest girl to fool, oh, no, quite the opposite, in fact. Eriol could almost hear Spinel snicker, while Ruby Moon would roll her eyes, both saying that it was exactly why their master was so crazy about Tomoyo.

Eriol carefully sat in his chair, not looking up at Tomoyo, before saying. "Hum… It says: 'The curve of your eyes toured my heart. A circle of dance and sweetness. Halo of time, night and sure cradle. And if I know not for all that I have lived. It is that your eyes did not always see me.' or something close. Who is it from?" He asked, giving her the paper again, with what he hoped a genuine curiosity.   
"Well, I don't know." Tomoyo answered, taking the paper back from him, looking at the strange paragraph. "The curve of your eyes toured my heart…" She repeated softly, a little smile turning up her lips. "It sounds like the beginning of a song. Could you write down the meaning for me?" She inquired, turning her eyes at him again, giving him the paper again.

Eriol nodded and he couldn't help but smile goofily as he reached in his bag for a pen and a sheet of paper. Quickly, he wrote the first part of the poem on it and handed her the two papers under her intense gaze. It looked like the first part of his plan actually worked! 

Tomoyo looked up at him and lifted a delicate eyebrow at his stupid smile. Eriol blinked and realized his mistake, but he managed without his smile faltering too much to point with his finger at the amount of letters behind her. "Looks like winter brings you more and more letters everyday." Tomoyo threw a glance behind her at the letters and sighed, shaking her head again. She read the translation Eriol just made and was grateful that Clow Reed bothered to learn all these languages and more that Eriol remembered them!

The curve of your eyes toured my heart,  
A circle of dance and sweetness,  
Halo of time, night and sure cradle,  
And if I know not for all that I have lived  
It is that your eyes did not always see me.

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

Tomoyo folded the two papers together and put them in her bag and reached for the letters. As usual, she wrote down quickly the place and dates of all the rendezvous each of the letters proposed to her and put them away in a folder specially made for them. More and more letters. How foolish he was, in fact there two less than the usual standard which was seven. 

The content of the strange letter had left her in a dreamy state, as she had found herself attracted to the words and she wondered once more who could have sent her such an enigmatic message. The writing was unfamiliar to her, almost girlish and Tomoyo half groaned. When turning down people, she found it harder when the people turned out to be females. Maybe because Tomoyo was a girl too and she too had been turned down be another girl. Well, she corrected herself, not exactly turned down. She never knew so she couldn't have turned me down. Tomoyo looked up, setting her chin in the palm of her hand, and stared out by the window. A little tap on her shoulder made her turn around on her seat, and once more she thought of trying to make him lose that habit of him. 

He must have seen the lecture coming because his eyes started laughing and his lips trembled in effort to suppress the coming smile. "Since you know that I hate you when you call me that way, or rather when you hit me to call me, why do you keep on doing it?" She asked, sighing heavily.  
"What do you think?" Eriol grinned back at her. Every week or so, she would lecture him on that and he would stop for a little while but after an amount of time that he would judge as honourable he would resume it and of course, she would turn around.   
"Because you like me best when I'm lecturing you?" She pouted, tilting her head on her side, her dark hair cascading to her right side.   
She looked so cute that Eriol didn't find his tongue for a while. "Hum… No."  
"Then why?" She asked him, shaking her head a little, a little smile on her pretty lips.  
"If you hate it why do you still turn around?" He smiled back.  
Touching her chin with one finger, looking up, Tomoyo pondered his question for a while, before answering. "Well, it became a sort of reflex."   
"Good." Was his only answer, and he sank back in his chair, folding his arms on his chest.  
"Whatever." And she turned back in her chair. 

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

As one should expect when one knew the Card Mistress, Sakura Kinomoto, she was late. But for once, she wasn't the last because her boyfriend, Sayoran Li stepped in the classroom just after her, as they arrived together. Their teacher, who was already in the class getting his lessons ready, just shook his head at Sakura's relieved expression. He gestured them to get quickly to their seats for the class to begin. The late pair quickly sat, after waving at their friends and a glare for others or rather one from Sayoran to Eriol who only widened his smile. The teacher, after calling each of their names, started his first class of the day.

But Tomoyo didn't pay attention this morning. No, she was dreaming. The song was bewitching her. Maybe it was jinxed. She thought, because unlike the other letters she couldn't get it out of her mind. Therefore, the distant look in her eyes, the repetitive sighs and her chin propped in her left hand, her elbow on her desk, she was daydreaming. 

Eriol, behind her, who had been waiting for any signs started to feel his heart beat faster than its usual pace. Tomoyo sighed once more. And his heart contracted again, almost painfully. But Eriol welcomed the pain. It felt horrible and wonderful in the same time. His heart ached and beat faster, he felt like someone had put weights on his chest and he couldn't breathe anymore, he could feel his ears getting warmer and he closed his eyes, head bent, to get his emotions back in control. Tomoyo was reacting to his letter. A butterfly opened its wings and tried to get free in his chest.

But little did Eriol know about the amber-eyed boy watching him from his right. Sayoran narrowed his eyes at his ancestor odd behavior and naturally, his eyes flickered to the dark-haired girl in front of the source of almost all his troubles. She was the only being alive he knew who could attempt to control him. But Sayoran found Tomoyo deep in thoughts and he shivered. Dear God, he thought, remembering the time when Tomoyo and Eriol did get together to pull a prank on him. She had been in deep thoughts that day too, she had been busy planning the last details but… Sayoran's eyes flickered back to Eriol. Eriol, who was staring at the back of Tomoyo's head now, had a pensive look on his face. Sayoran frowned. Maybe, for once, I'm not concerned in whatever he's planning, but I don't think I'd like to let place to Tomoyo. 

Sayoran would never know how to thank Tomoyo enough for all she did for him. Pushing him gently in the right direction, helping him to sort out his feelings for Sakura. And, as usual when he thought about her, he turned his eyes in her direction. "Sayoran Li!" Suddenly snapped him out of his reverie to find his teacher glaring daggers at him. 

"Yes, sensei?" he swallowed. Damn, caught daydreaming!   
"Please, Li, do tell the class what's so interesting in Kinomoto's hair!"   
"I'm sorry, sensei." Sayoran bent his head, in shame, as it wasn't the first time that he had been caught daydreaming and staring at the back of Sakura's head. Sayoran heard his teacher take a deep and indignant breath.  
"Anyway, back on the lesson." He started. "And please, Li, do pay attention and keep your staring for when the two of you are alone." He finished, turning his attention back to the black board. Sayoran sighed, blushing at the remark. He needn't to see his beloved's face to know it was as deep red as his. He saw Tomoyo hide her giggling behind her hand and sighed again but then, he definitely heard a snicker coming from his left. He looked up and found Eriol looking at him, his eyes dancing with suppressed laughter. If looks could burn holes, Eriol Hiiragizawa would have been the first and probably the only, human being killed by a burning hole in the face.

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

Finally, the long morning came to an end and with it, the lunch break began. The students quickly emptied the classroom to enjoy their lunches elsewhere. Tomoyo and Sakura walked together out of the room, Tomoyo telling Sakura about the song that had been sent to her. The girls went out first, as Tomoyo whispered and showed Sakura the strange message. Sakura giggled and the auburn head bent closer to the dark-haired one. With a look of resignation from Sayoran and a cheerful one from Eriol, the boys decided, without talking to give the girls a bit of privacy. Not, without saying of course, that they didn't want to hear Sakura going "Hannyan!!!" on the letter. 

Eriol was following her with his steady gaze and when Tomoyo and Sakura disappeared from his sight, he allowed a small and sad smile crossed his thin lips. When a hand slammed on his desk.

Eriol looked up at the owner of the hand and smiled at his descendant. The rare students still present in the room just shook their heads, walking away, knowing full well these two would always be 'playing' as Eriol put it while Sayoran had a much more colored word for it. 

"Yes, young but cute descendant?" Sayoran cringed at the hated nicknamed and forced himself to breath out when Eriol spoke again. "You know, you really do have a vein popping out of your forehead, I've never noticed it before." Eriol jumped out of Sayoran's reach, laughing and the latter closed his fists in anger, launching a punch in Eriol's face. Punch that Eriol avoided easily.   
"What did you do to Daidouji?" He asked bluntly, aiming a kick to Eriol's midsection.   
Eriol laughed and jumped again out of reach, putting some desks between him and Sayoran. Sayoran never really tried to beat him up but better be safe than sorry. "Why do you ask?" Eriol smiled at Sayoran once more, he couldn't help but taunt his descendant and stopped jumping around to wait for Sayoran.  
"Because you look damn too cocky today and she's not herself this morning!" Sayoran answered, yelling almost, trying to break Eriol's nose with one of his fist. "What have you done to her?" Eriol blocked Sayoran's fist with one hand and pushed Sayoran roughly with the other on the chest, making him lose his balance. Sayoran fell on his butt but immediately stood up, glaring again at Eriol, who was wondering how powerful Sayoran could really become if he actually managed to control his temper. 

He was turning perceptive and he was clever, none to say powerful too, in a magical way. But, then when his buttons were pushed, he lost control and usually blew off everything. Eriol nearly sighed. Maybe he should try, as he already did, he reminded himself, to teach the boy how to keep his temper in check, it would help him to grow up. But where would be the fun? And besides, he didn't want Sayoran to be mature, yet. Sometimes, Eriol thought of Sayoran like a little, favorite nephew an uncle had to tease. Yes, he cared for the Chinese boy, as he had once cared for the Li Clan. As he still does, he thought.

Then, something flashed in his mind and he knew how to turn the conversation on safer grounds. 

Eriol shook his head, waving a hand at Sayoran. "Tssk, tssk. Little descendant, shame on you for such thoughts: I didn't do anything that you think about to Tomoyo." Eriol started snickering. "I'm not as forward as you are, Descendant."   
"What are you talking about?" Sayoran yelled, his face turning red again.   
"Well, I did notice you did arrive with Sakura-chan this morning and your apartment is not on Sakura's way to school, in fact it's quite far away from it. And you are never late!"   
"I don't know what you mean! We just met-" Sayoran yelled again but he was cut by Eriol.  
"Tssk! Descendant, try to prepare your lies a little longer before giving them because I happened to know that Touya-kun lives with Yukito-kun. Did you sneak in Sakura-chan's bedroom last night? That's why you two were together and almost late this morning?"  

This time, Sayoran ran after Eriol yelling for his blood. But Eriol's answer was to run away, laughing his head off. Unfortunately for Sayoran, Eriol knew the Chinese boy was clumsy, despite all the martial trainings, when his emotions got the best of him and so Eriol managed to put enough distance between him and Sayoran to prevent Sayoran to catch him. 

They ran down the hall, Eriol still laughing, dodging the students, ignoring the teachers' yells to make them stop running, Sayoran yelling curses in Chinese after Eriol but Eriol paid no attention to him, as his salvation was coming nearer, in the presence of Sakura and Tomoyo. Almost in a Nakuru fashion, Eriol glomped the girls and using Tomoyo as a shield from Sayoran, he waited for him to reach them. 

"Eriol-kun!" Tomoyo gasped, looking above her shoulder at Eriol.   
Sakura put her fists on her hips and exclaimed. "Eriol-kun! Don't tell me you started 'playing' again with Sayoran-kun?"   
"Now, come on, Sakura-chan, can't I-" but he never got to finish his sentence as a very red but walking Sayoran reached them.

The Chinese boy slowed down and stopped, still muttering curses in his native tongue, making Eriol snicker again.   
"There, there, little Descendant. You should know by now that what you're suggesting is humanly impossible, even for me." 

Sakura turned to her boyfriend, a look in her emerald eyes, while Tomoyo only raised an eyebrow at him. Sayoran blushed, turning his red face even redder and he knew he was doomed when Sakura leaned forward and said in the sweet voice she usually reserved to Kero-chan when the latter was in deep trouble.   
"Ne, Sayoran-kun, do you remember the conversation Tomoyo-chan, Eriol-kun, you and I had about 'playing' and humanly impossible Chinese curses?"   
  


Sayoran swallowed hard and Eriol's smile got erased by itself when Tomoyo, standing next her best friend, turned her eyes on him and both men shivered. Yes, they did remember the 'talk' they had and they both got the hint. Without consorting among themselves, the boys walked the girls to a place where they could eat, carrying the lunches they retrieved quickly from their lockers, placing the girls' ones on theirs. The day ended rather quietly as none of the two males tried to bite each other's head, because they knew something worse was in store for both of them if one dared just to glare at the other. 

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

The following morning, Tomoyo could hardly suppress her growing excitement and the expectant smile as she walked to school. She was almost out of breath when she reached her locker because she had been walking much faster than usual. Collecting the fan mail, she looked through the six letters for an old piece of parchment but there was none. 

Walking reluctantly to class, head bent and sighing: that was how Eriol found her this morning. He was going to step in the classroom when he looked up and saw her coming towards him.  
"Tomoyo-chan? What's wrong?" the worried tone in his voice made her look up.   
For a blink of the eye, Tomoyo considered about lying, but it was Eriol, and she discarded the idea. She sighed heavily again and answered him. "I must confess that the song touched me more than anything else that had been sent to me. I… was hoping for the rest of the song this morning, but…"   
"There was nothing?" He completed her sentence gently and Tomoyo sighed again.   
"Yes, no parchment this morning. I was so excited about it that I could barely close an eye last night and now…"   
"Hum, I see." Eriol smiled gently at her.  
"I've been looking through my music sheets all evening but nothing was my song. I even asked my music teacher in the choir practice, last night, but she didn't know it." Eriol seemed to ponder the new information for a while before saying.  
"I have quite a collection of occidental songs, if you want, you can come to my house this afternoon, after school, and we'll look through them with a cup of tea."   
Tomoyo's face brightened as if dawn just shone on her. "I was hoping you to propose me that! Thank you so much!" She said excitedly, laughing a little. Tomoyo then did something that surprised him greatly: she hugged him briefly. 

For less than a couple of seconds, she enveloped him in his arms, sending him her warmth and when she stepped back, smiling brightly, he felt shivers running up and down his spine. 

Man, if only he could remember that spell that could froze the time: he would use it again and again so that she would never leave his arms.

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

The day went by without any other surprises. It was just another normal school day for them all. Sakura, almost late, running into class, while Sayoran shook his head. The four of them eating either at the library or in the canteen as they were in January, Sakura and Tomoyo laughing while Sayoran muttered curses under his breath because Eriol and Takashi pulled on his leg again. But something was a little different today, though. It would have taken someone really close to them to notice it: two of the four were somehow a little happier than usual. One could think that the two were the auburn-haired pair, but in fact and unexpectedly it was for once the dark-haired pair. Maybe they both had learnt something good earlier.

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

Tomoyo ran her hand quickly in her hair before ringing the bell. 

After school, she went back home to tell them she would be over his house tonight and she took the opportunity to change from her school uniform. She was now wearing a long cream dress, under her long black winter mantle. Her long purple hair were tied in a loose ponytail with a cream-colored ribbon and she was holding a little bag full of cookies, her mother had insisted for her to take with her. The Daidouji Mansion inhabitants were quite used to either have Eriol within their walls or see Tomoyo go at his house. Sometimes she even slept over. 

The only time, he slept over her place was the day he had been sick. Tomoyo had gone over his house to see how he was feeling but he was so weak and sick that she insisted on staying at his place to take care of him. Eriol had refused to let her stay in this house where everybody was sick, even Nakuru and Spinel. Tomoyo had cast him her sunnier smile and told him that since he didn't want her to stay in his place where she could catch their illness, they should come to her place. Of course, Eriol had protested, but that was when Tomoyo had used her stronger card on him: she had called her mother. 

Sonomi Daidouji was aware of the Clow Cards, the Guardians and the strange relationship between Eriol, Sakura and her father, for a little less than a year when it happened. So, when her daughter called her to ask her that since nice Eriol-kun was sick to death and that he didn't want her, Tomoyo, to take care of him in his house, could she take care of them in their house, in the Daidouji Mansion. Sonomi had roared in the phone at Eriol. Yelling at how stupid he was and she had landed in his mansion, with the force of a thousands bulldozer and basically dragged him and his two guardians in the Daidouji Mansion where she had fussed over him while Tomoyo took care of his guardians. 

Since then, Eriol, Nakuru and Spinel had been referring almost reverently to Tomoyo's mother as Daidouji-sama. Nakuru had confessed to Tomoyo that she and Spinel could only get sick when their master was very weak and that they all could have died if not for Tomoyo and her mother. Eriol, himself, had then taken a great liking on Daidouji-sama. He had whispered this secret to Tomoyo, the morning after, when he laid on the bed of the guestroom, while her mother, exhausted, had been fast asleep, her head resting on her folded arms. He had told her, a small smile on his lips, he now understood why Sakura's parents loved her so much. Tomoyo had thought that maybe, surely, it was because Eriol didn't have the chance of growing up like the other children… 

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

So, there she was, waiting under the porch of the Reed Mansion for Eriol or Nakuru to open the door. Usually, it was Nakuru and Tomoyo hadn't even finished ringing that the door was already open and Nakuru jumping on her. 

Odd… she thought as she rang another time. This time, the door opened.

Eriol was standing in the doorway: with his Sun Guardian, in his small form, comfortably sitting on his head, his tail circling his head for support, while his Moon Guardian, in her false form too, hanging on his left leg. And Tomoyo stared. 

Oh, she was quite used to the sight of Spinel sitting on Eriol's shoulder, or Spinel in his true form sitting on his master, or Nakuru in her true form on Eriol's back. But, that was new. And so Tomoyo stared. 

"Don't worry, Tomoyo-chan." Eriol sighed. "Nakuru is just trying to convince me to dress up as a geisha. Please, come in."

"Ah." Was all she could say, as she stepped in. 

"Mou! Tomoyo-chan," Nakuru whined from Eriol's leg, "don't you think Master would make a wonderful geisha?"

Eriol closed the door behind her and started to walk, with rather some difficulty for the added weight on his left leg towards the living-room. "Mind if I ask where the idea of getting Eriol-kun dressed up as a geisha come from?" inquired politely Tomoyo.

"Tomoyo-sama," began Spinel, with a long and suffering sigh, from his perch on Eriol's head, "you and I both know I am the only normal rational being in this house and believe me when I tell you don't want to find out when, how and why Master started talking about geisha and why Moron decided Master would make a beautiful geisha." Spinel ended, shivering like a madman. Tomoyo blinked and shivered too, following Eriol. 

"At least, I'm developing the muscle of my leg. Nakuru, would you please, every ten minutes or so, shift on the other leg for an equal repartition of the work." Said Eriol, rather seriously.

"Yes, Master!" came the thrilled answer.

Tomoyo stared. And Spinel sighed.

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

They've been looking through Eriol's music room for hours now. Eriol's music room was one of Tomoyo favorite places: the huge cathedral-like doors, which were giving on Eriol's garden, would let the light come in to lightly caress the grand black piano, resting on the heavy dark red carpet. Even though it wasn't necessary, Eriol had Nakuru lit up the fire before the Guardian could leave because after maybe half an hour, Nakuru got bored and declared she will probably die from boredom if she stayed a minute more. So Eriol gave her the permission to run away. Which she did, after lighting the fire, screaming that she would be at Touya's and Yuki's to play with them. 

They've been looking through his entire collection of music sheets, from France or Vienna, from Italy or London but none matched. The night had already covered the earth and the stars found Eriol and Tomoyo, music sheets spilled around them, laying on their stomachs, leaning on their elbows, facing the fireplace, a mug of hot chocolate for Eriol, one of tea for Tomoyo. Spinel had curled his tail around his little form and was sleeping blissfully on Eriol's head.

"Why does that song intrigue you that much?" He asked quietly, as the silence between them had grown comfortable. She reached for the plate in front of him and took a chocolate chip cookie, nibbling on it before answering, thoughtfully.

"I really don't know. But, it feels like the one who wrote that really love the woman he was talking about."

"It could be a woman to a man. Or a man to a man, or a woman to a woman…"

Tomoyo shot him a quick glare from under her lashes but he was staring stubbornly at the fire, playing in front of them. Eriol knew all of her little secrets, all those dirty little thoughts one doesn't even think to put down on paper. And, if she had ever learnt something by being around him was that he never said anything without a purpose.

"It could be." She answered, prudently. "But, I highly doubt of it." She shook her black head.

Eriol blinked at her and asked her, puzzled. "How come?"

"I… It's a feeling." Tomoyo admitted, sighing. "It's a male who sent this to me." She turned to him, her eyes steady, then a slow smile spread on her lips. "Besides, a woman would have written the whole song."

At her Cheshire Cat expression, Eriol laughed, waking Spinel up, who only grumbled before getting back to sleep. "Now, that's an interesting thought." He smiled, his dark blue eyes glinting.

Raising her little creamy nose, with a fake haughty voice, Tomoyo stated. "A female would never be that cruel to a fellow female."

Eriol chuckled at her voice and asked. "Why cruel?" 

"Only a man would lead a woman like that." Tomoyo nodded.

Eriol laughed once more and Tomoyo's giggles accompanied him. But when his laughter died, he told her, almost on a whisper. "I thought women were the cunning ones and men blind when love was involved."

"Love…" Tomoyo stared at Eriol. "It's different. Men are dense. Women just take what they want." She smiled again.

Eriol's face lit up with a smile. "I presume this is the Amemiya women motto?" He rose an eyebrow at her.

"Of course!" Tomoyo said, a huge smile on her cherry lips. "How do you think Sakura-chan's mother got away with Kinomoto-san?" 

Eriol blinked at her for a second, then looked up thoughtfully before nodding. Then the two of them burst in laughter. Tomoyo rolled on her back: her head was touching his shoulder and Eriol wondered if she could hear his heart beating faster. He took a look at her face: she had her eyes closed, a contented smile on her lips and she was humming under her breath. She was beautiful. Not only in a physical way, but her wit and independence, her charm and her cunning ways… All that bounded him further to her. His eyes drifted prudently elsewhere than her cherry lips, pushed together while she hummed and they fell on the music sheets around them. His music room was a mess. 

"All afternoon, we've been looking at these music sheets." He suddenly said, cutting her humming. "Have you noticed?" He asked.

Tomoyo looked up at him, not understanding. "Noticed what?" She wondered aloud.

Eriol turned his head back to her. "A very few of them doesn't talk of love." He explained, watching her carefully.

Tomoyo rolled on her stomach again. "Hum. I guess so." She nodded, her hands falling on the various piece of papers around her, till they found the one she had been staring at an hour ago. "I like this one."

"What is it?" He inquired, leaning closer to her to take a look.

"It's about the soul mates story." She said, turning to him, giving him the paper. "How the Ancient Gods, jealous, tore them apart and sent them on different places and since then, the poor souls have to look for one another." He replaced the paper on the floor as she asked him, curious. "Do you believe in soul mates?" 

Eriol looked up to find that she had tilted her head, making a pool of black hair resting on her right shoulder. How he wished he was allowed to run a hand in those hair.

"No." He answered, still staring at her hair, while the firelight played upon it. "I think Love is something you obtain by working hard. I want to believe it's something that we do." He looked up and searched her gaze which he locked in his when he asked. "What about you?" That was the question he dreaded, that was the reason he had led her in his music room. 

Tomoyo turned her head away, losing herself again in the contemplation of the fire. "I've never really thought about it." She admitted. "I've always thought that the ultimate expression of love and happiness is to make sure my loved one is happy, whatever it may cost me."

"Why?" His voice held back with great effort the pain he was feeling inside. Oh, Tomoyo why? Why do you shut the others away? Why? When it's so easy for hundreds to take? 

Tomoyo turned her head sharply back at him, puzzled and stared, before answering, uncertain. "Well, isn't it what we all wish for our loved ones? For them to be happy?" 

Eriol shook his head sadly, refusing to meet her gaze. It would give him away. "I don't believe I'd be happy if I knew someone sacrificed everything for me. What about you?" 

"I don't understand." Tomoyo said truthfully.

Eriol bent his head and asked her, his voice low. "Would you be happy if someone else, whoever it is, make his or her life a living hell for you to be happy?" 

An awkward fell between them. It had been long since an awkward silence had settled between them. "Happiness lies in my loved one's." Tomoyo said, sounded more like she was trying to convince herself rather than believing in it.

He understood the desperation underneath and no longer wished to push her, so he said almost jokingly, as if nothing had happened. "But have to say that the idea of soul mates is extremely romantic." His merry voice brought her to raise her eyes to him: he was looking up, a stupid smile on his lips. On the top of his head, Spinel suddenly snorted, remembering the two youths they weren't alone.

"If Master ever had a soul mate," Spinel said, dryly . 'The world would come to an end."

Tomoyo stifled her goggles at Eriol's sudden crestfallen face, then, he asked Tomoyo, almost cheerfully. "Do you want to play Nakuru's favorite game?" Tomoyo thought she heard a strangled noise coming from the top of Eriol's head, as the latter kept on. "It's called 'Spin the Spinel!'" He concluded, while a black shot went from the top of his head to the safety of Tomoyo's hair.

"Tomoyo-sama," whined the small guardian, "Can I come and live at your place?" Both teens burst in laughter and everything was well again. 

Or so she thought.

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

Hum, here's the first part, guys. Be nice and review, please. Hugs and kisses, see you next time.

mikim


	2. Masks Down

_Chapter 2. Masks down._

Standard Disclaimers Apply.

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

After walking Tomoyo to his front door where her bodyguards picked her up, Eriol, with Spinel on his head, walked back to his music room. Tomoyo and him had cleaned the whole place after but Eriol needed to play a little to ease his nerves. He was worried.

"Master?" Spinel inquired.

"Yes?" Eriol's fingers ran masterfully on the grand piano, not even looking at what he was doing.

"What's wrong?" The small creature asked again, turning on Eriol's head to make itself comfortable. 

"I'm worried." Eriol conceded and Spinel raised an eyebrow.

"Why? Your plan is working well."

Eriol frowned as the wrong note rang, disrupting the quiet melody like a gunshot in the night. "It's working too well." He said angrily, as he slammed the piano closed. "What if she's disappointed when she finds out it's me?" Eriol stood up and paced, making Spinel retreat from his head to the piano. The small cat-like creature watched its master walking back and forth in the room, grumbling. "At least, she's talking about love with me, now."

Spinel tilted his head on the side, asking silently his master to go on. Frustrated, Eriol stopped for a while, ran a hand in his black strands and resumed his pacing, explaining. "Before, we would have never ever touched anything in relation with love, except if we were talking about Sakura's and Sayoran's one and the ones we have suffered from. Always the past. It's the first time she has pushed herself to look at the future."

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

Days came and went and changed into week then two weeks. Each morning, Tomoyo would run to her locker to peek inside, but no trace of the mysterious sender or the end of the song.

Winter was slowly leaving the place to spring, as the air was turning more and more light, and the snow was slowly melting away. During this agonizing time for Tomoyo, she had spent more and more time at Eriol's house, looking over and over again through each of his music sheets. He had laughed at first at her eagerness and excitement, teasing her gently on her almost childish behavior. Each day, she would come over his house, leaving school together and both of them would settle in his music room, for hours, talking, searching. She had never felt so excited by something before. Sure, Sakura's card captor days were high of excitement, but she has always been a watcher, far away, a spectator, protected by the lens of her camera but this time! This time, for once, it was her! It was about her and she was the center of the mystery, with Eriol at her right, his small smile on his handsome face.

Slowly, she and Eriol grew closer than before. They were often spotted in the school library, doing their homework together, heads against one another. Whispering, giggling together, sometimes her head was even on his shoulder.

Rumors were getting high in school but none of the two paid attention. Sakura was often spotted watching after them thoughtfully but when asked what was wrong, she would smile and shake her head, telling it wasn't her secret to reveal.

That morning, the fourteenth since the first letter, Tomoyo ran to her locker, like every morning, stopping only to cast a sunny smile, full of hope to those who greeted her but this morning, as she was waving hello a girl from her choir practice, she ran into someone. As she stumbled backwards, a pair of strong hands caught her before her bottom could meet the floor in an intimate rendezvous.

"Tomoyo-chan! Are you ok?" Tomoyo looked up to find Eriol's worried face looming over her.

"Eriol-kun!" Tomoyo greeted. "Morning and sorry for running into you." She moved around him to get to her locker.

Eriol followed her with his steady eyes. "It's ok. Where were you going so quickly?"

Tomoyo smirked back at him, bending to take off her shoes. "What do you think?" She was dreading to open the locker, she knew she was stalling, talking to Eriol but what if there was no parchment too that morning.

Eriol leaned on her locker next to her and sighed. "This letter again?"

Tomoyo unclasped the bridle of her left shoe and attacked the right one, telling him, excited. "Yes! Maybe this morning, I'll find the next part!" She did her best to ignore the little pang of fear, creping in her heart.

"That's what you've said every morning for two weeks, almost now." Eriol sighed again. 

Maybe it was all a bad idea. Truth to be told they were closer now: they no longer were just best friends, it was hard to understand, but Eriol knew they were close to that line separating friendship to something else and as far as he was concerned he had already crossed that line and was carefully, slowly pulling her behind him, without her noticing.

But, these letters. Even if, it had permitted him to talk about love with her, a former taboo subject, even if she accepted to go on 'dates' with him, now, these letters were maybe a bad idea. Nonetheless was he getting her hopes high every morning and the dejected look she tried so hard to cancel broke his heart every morning, but these letters instead of bringing her closer could drive her to love the one writing them, even if it was him, he wanted her to love him, not because of the parchments, but because of the time they would spent together because of these letters. 

Somewhere, something had gone wrong, and Tomoyo was far too enthralled by the letters he had thought she's be. "Don't you think, it's about time to give up?" He asked carefully.

Tomoyo straightened up and stared at him, horrified before almost yelling at him. "No! I'm sure he'll send me the rest!"

"I see." An odd pang of jealousy stroke and Eriol called himself stupid. "Are we still going to the coffee house after school?" He asked casually. She had been going on those little 'dates' with him ever since the start of the letters. If, she truly had fallen for the sender, not knowing it was him, then she should have refused. Maybe there was still hope somewhere. But, he needed to know.

"Of course!" She looked up at him, an eyebrow up, as if asking him why was wrong. As he answered her with a wry smile, she shook her head and tried to shove him off her locker. "Now, move, I want to see my locker."

"You know, I've thought that maybe it was an original work." Eriol didn't move a bit and looked up at the ceiling, teasing her. "That would explain why we couldn't find nothing in my music room." He looked down at her to see her roll her eyes heavenward.

"I know that you have an enormous collection, Eriol-kun." She admonished, waving the shoes she held in a hand in front of his nose. "But, maybe it's not an original work but just something you don't have." She pushed him firmly and this time he didn't resist and moved to stand behind her, as she opened the locker quickly. "Ah! There it is! Look, look!" Eriol smiled bitterly. Of course, it was there. How could he take another morning with her looking so down.

Eriol watched Tomoyo put her school shoes on and opened her piece of parchment, excited, neglecting all the rest of the fan mail. "Tomoyo-chan, I have a question." He said slowly.

But Tomoyo didn't really pay attention as she turned around, her eyes focused on the parchment. "What is it? Could you translate this for me?" She eagerly asked him, looking up.

Eriol ignored her question but took the paper from her hands as she extended it to him, for him to translate it for her. "Are you falling for the writer?" He asked her, not looking at her, trying to sound casual.

"What?" They started to head to their classroom. "No, no, Eriol-kun, silly." She laughed and Eriol didn't dare to look up from the parchment, his heart beating with dread and hope. "I like the words." Tomoyo started to explain him, slowly. Eriol stole a glance at her to see a dreamy look on her features. "They attract me, I don't know why, but I like the resonance of the words… It's like they pull a string on my heart." 

She sighed and looked up to meet his eyes, surprising him as he had been caught staring at her profile. How could he not stare? The pale morning light falling on her like a loving caress, the paleness of the winter day making her stand out with her so black locks. 

"I'm feeling melancholic whenever I read it and I need more and more. When I read it, it makes me think of something round and of water, something warm too, like the shape of a heart…" Tomoyo kept on after a moment of silence and Eriol smiled softly, sadly. "What is it?" She asked him as he shook his head mentally, trying to get rid of the burst of emotion coming up to him. She was taken by the message, not the sender. That was a relief.

"Nothing, but you owe me a huge valentine chocolate!"

"Owe you? Whatever!" She whacked him under the head, playfully. Tomoyo was in an extremely good mood that morning.

The following day, as Valentine Day broke through, Eriol actually jumped in class, holding his presents.

For once, almost the whole class was already there, even Sakura who had slept over Tomoyo's to make the annual Valentine chocolate. Eriol quickly headed to the raven haired girl, first. "Tomoyo-chan, here, for you." He presented her a small white box with a complicated red velvet knot, a little paw next to it, made in red ink. And Tomoyo smiled, Spinel had done it. 

"Thank you, Eriol-kun." She smiled and bent to take something out of her bag, but Eriol had already turn his back to her, handing a small package with a dozen of little hearts, drawn in red, pink, yellow and purple covering the white box. An obvious Nakuru trademark all over it.

"Sayoran-kun!" Eriol began, his eyes expectant. "I made this…"

"Don't come near me, you freak!" The Chinese boy yelled after taking a quick look at the box. Chocolate was his favourite food, after all.

"But Sayoran-kun!! How mean, Sakura-chan! Sayoran-kun doesn't want my token of love for him! How mean!" Eriol whined, whirling to face Sakura, grabbing her hands in his, tears almost coming out of his eyes.

"It's ok, Eriol-kun, I'll make him eat it." Sakura promised, smiling and patting Eriol's head fondly, like a cherished pet.

Eriol visibly beamed at the promise while Sayoran blanched dramatically. There wasn't something in the world he would refuse to Sakura. Without even opening the box, Sayoran was ready to bet his ancestor had others tricks in his sleeve in store for him. "I knew I could count on you, Sakura-chan. Here's for you."

"Eriol-kun, you didn't give me the chance to give you mine." Tomoyo said, tapping lightly on his shoulder. Eriol turned around and smiled down at her, as she held up a angel made of chocolate, wrapped carefully in a transparent plastic paper.

"Thanks." Eriol's heart started to beat faster as he asked her casually. "By the way, why don't we go to, we'll go to a foreign library, on Saturday, since you have a new little bit, maybe we'll be luckier."

Tomoyo smiled up to him, making his heart skip a few beats. "Sure! That's an excellent idea, Eriol-kun!"

"Anything to please you, my princess." He had to bow in front of her to hide the sudden blush. Man, I am so whipped… He thought lamely.

Eriol bowed playfully and Tomoyo giggled in response, while Sayoran rolled his eyes at the stupid gesture. But the Chinese boy did notice the strange glint in his girlfriend's eyes. Turning fully towards her, as Eriol and Tomoyo started to chat with other students about Valentine day, teasing each other gently, he looked at her quizzically. Sakura looked up at him, a slow smile spreading on her lips. She shook her head gently at his unspoken question and took his arm, resting her head on his shoulder, her eyes locked on a dark-haired boy and his foolish silly little loving heart, she thought.

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

As their fifth period teacher was absent, the students were left by themselves in the class, with math sheets they were supposed to hand back at the end of the hour. Since Eriol was the one on duties that week, he had been appointed to come to the teachers' room to take the sheets while the others waited in a quiet chattering.

"Ne, Tomoyo-chan." 

"What is it?" Tomoyo looked up at her best friend.

"Can I read the song again?" 

Tomoyo smiled slowly and bent to take her bag from the ground. "Sure." She handed the paper on which Eriol had written the two translated parts to the other girl.

"Oh…" Sakura sighed heavenly, after reading it again. "It's so sweet…" She said again, looking dreamily at the paper. "Ne, Tomoyo-chan, the one who wrote you this really must like you."

"Sakura-chan! What a thing to say, really." Tomoyo answered, a bit flustered. Then, a grin broke her face as she looked at Sakura. Grin that Sakura answered with one of her own and the girls started giggling madly. Sayoran groaned under his breath behind the girls, just loud enough for them to hear him. Sakura turned to him, an eyebrow up, then another grin spread on her face as she asked him.

"Ne, Sayoran-kun."

"What?" He asked, bored.

"Why did you never try to write me a song?"

Sayoran's eyes would have fallen on his desk if Sakura hadn't been laughing and he started blushing beat red while Sakura, a bit blushing too, smiled at him, before giggling again with Tomoyo. Sayoran only groaned back and he thought that he was damn glad his ancestor wasn't there to make his snickering remarks.  

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

If there was that Tomoyo Daidouji hated, it was: not knowing. She hated being left in the dark or not being able to understand everything going on around her. That was a part of the reason why the song puzzled her so. 

The young girl was lying on her bed, her chin propped in her left hand, the other holding the letters up, to read and read again the parts of the song.

Who could have written that song? For maybe the hundredth times, that particular question stayed in the dark and Tomoyo sighed. Rolling on her back, staring at the ceiling, she wondered again, as her hands were crossed under her head. Who could have written her a song in French? Or who could understand French? 

Shaking her head, Tomoyo reached out again for the parts she had and read them again. Despite all Eriol's assurances, it couldn't be an original work. Who would bother to write an original piece in a foreign language?

Eriol… He was the only one she knew who could understand and write French. Tomoyo narrowed her purple eyes. Could it be? Could it be Eriol? But he had helped her looking for it through all his music sheets… But was it really a song? 

As she read the mysterious letters again, something clicked in Tomoyo's mind. This message wasn't a song, she was certain. She sat up in the bed.

After all, she's been studying music and mostly vocal music enough to know how a song was written and this one didn't sound like a song, it missed the rhythm of a song.

So, it had to be a poem. Tomoyo fell back, resting on her back, staring up at the ceiling. But, if it truly was a poem, it was now a whole new problem for her to find out who the mysterious sender was…

"Tomoyo dear?" A soft voice called from the door making Tomoyo jumped in surprise, as caught as she was in her thoughts.

"Mother!" Tomoyo exclaimed "I didn't hear you."

Sonomi started to say as she walked closer to her daughter's bed. "I've noticed…" Then she stopped talking and stared down at the letters and the translations paper sprawled on the bed. "What is that?" She gestured, curious.

"Oh! I got this in my locker." Tomoyo moved on her bed to let her mother sit. She then handed one of the old parchment to her mother and the corresponding translation done by Eriol. "I don't know who sent me this and I've been trying for days to find out who it was!"

Sonomi quickly read the parchment then focused on the translation, asking Tomoyo. "What language is that?"

Tomoyo, on her knees, bent closer to her mother, looking at the message too and said. "Eriol-kun says it's French." 

"Hum… Kinomoto-sensei used to read Nadesiko-chan French." Sonomi started, she then looked up to Tomoyo, her eyes twinkling. "Maybe he'll know what this is. Tomorrow it's Saturday, why don't you go over Sakura-chan's place and asked her father about it?" She proposed Tomoyo.

But, Tomoyo thought, tomorrow I was supposed to meet Eriol-kun… On the other hand, if Kinomoto-sensei used to read French, he could be an incredible help… Oh, well, I can still see Eriol-kun at school... 

Tomoyo beamed at her mother and hugged her, making Sonomi laughed, as Tomoyo exclaimed she was the best.

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

The following morning, Tomoyo picked up the phone and dialed Eriol's number. After the third ring, his voice greeted her.

"Morning, Eriol-kun, it's Tomoyo." Tomoyo started cheerfully.

"I know. Nakuru made me buy something to recognize the numbers."

Tomoyo giggled over the phone. "Why? Does she have any troubles?"

"Quite the opposite, in fact. You see, it happened, by any miracle,  that one of the guys she had been chasing after had fallen for her. But now, she doesn't like him anymore but he's been acting the same way that she did with him. Hence this new machine." Tomoyo giggled once more as she heard the indignant scream coming from Nakuru over the phone. "What is it, Tomoyo-chan? We're still meeting at ten, right?" Eriol asked her again. 

"Oh, well, I called because I won't be able to make it." Tomoyo explained.

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

It fell like a bucket of freezing water. Those little words coming from her angelic voice shattered his whole world and sent his day upside down. He wouldn't be able to see her today. In front of him, Eriol could see Nakuru raise her head in worry at his sudden mood and titled her head on the side. Eriol shook his head at her and tried to keep the heavy disappointment he felt out of his voice.

It was silly, it was just a date, they could still see each other at school, he was being stupid. But, he had wanted to see her, today. Inwardly, he remembered the day he had asked himself if he truly was that dependent of her, as if she was some kind of drug and he only realized today, the hard way, that she really was a drug to him. He could thank the Gods he was born with a tongue like a leash which could take over when his brain was going to overload. He wasn't really listening to what she was saying any longer, in fact he didn't even know if she was talking, but he needed to fill the silence between them with a quick remark, to avoid any suspicious feeling on her part.

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

"Ah! Tomoyo-chan, I'm pouting, why?" Eriol whined, making Tomoyo giggled again.

"Well, I may have a clue on the identity of the writer of my poem." She explained. Her heart started to beat faster. If Eriol picked up the mistake she had purposely done on the nature of the song then, maybe he wasn't the author of the letters, if not, then maybe…

"Oh." Eriol, nor Tomoyo, said nothing for a fleeting second, then Eriol kept on. "I see. Well, good luck." Tomoyo's hands trembled as she hang up, after telling her goodbyes to Eriol. 

So it was a poem and Eriol was the one sending the bits to her. Her heart pounding, Tomoyo walked back to her room. She leaned on the door after closing it, her mind whirling. Why? Why was he sending her this poem? Why was he putting up this charade?

Shaking her head clear of her questions, Tomoyo quickly dressed to got out to Sakura's. She needed to read the rest of the poem and hopefully, Sakura's father would know what poem it was.

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

Tomoyo was standing in front of the Kinomoto household when it started snowing. It was rather unusual for the season, but winter had been harsh that year. The snow started slowly, light as a feather, falling graciously on the roofs and roads on this cold Sunday morning.

After ringing once, the Kinomoto's door slowly opened to reveal Sakura's older brother, yawning. Still dressed in his pajamas, Kinomoto Touya has obviously just woken up. He and Yukito were usually spending their weekends at Touya's father. Touya had proclaimed it was because he was feeling lonely, even with Yukito without his mother's pictures all over the place, while Yukito would whisper it was because Touya wanted to see his little sister and spend a little time, teasing her.

"Morning, Tomoyo-chan." Tomoyo smiled at her cousin and walked after him in the house, chatting with him about the sudden snow and weirdness of the weather. As she came in, Tomoyo couldn't help but understand Touya when he would say he was feeling lonely in his apartment, in town, next to his university. There was nothing like home. Sakura ran down the stairs, head first to meet her, while in the living room, Tomoyo could hear the console playing. Touya left the girls alone, after a few chosen remarks about the monsters and slumped on the couch. In front of the TV, engrossed in the game were Yukito and Sakura's other guardian in his small form, yelling because he was losing to Yukito. Tomoyo greeted them, but she wasn't sure they had heard her.

Sakura led Tomoyo to her father's study, right after Tomoyo had told her best friend her suspicions and doubts about Eriol. Sakura was surprised her father knew French but went to her father's office, anyway. After knocking, the girls came in. 

"Good morning, Kinomoto-sensei." Tomoyo said.

Sakura's father, Fujitaka, blinked then his face broke in a warm smile. "Tomoyo-chan, good morning. It's been a while."

"Yes, sensei." Tomoyo answered his smile. 

"Otousan, do you know what this could be?" Sakura asked, handing her father the translated message and the original ones.

Fujitaka ran his eyes quickly over the translation before focusing on the French one. "It's in French…" He started slowly, as if searching for a memory, in the depths of his souvenirs. "Hum, I know this poem. A second." He looked up, his eyes turning to the shelves next to him. Then he found the small red book, worn out by the years and turned back to face the girls. "Yes, it's from a French author, Paul Eluard. I should have the rest in there…" He informed them, as he looked through the book, for the poem. "Ah! There it is!" He exclaimed, triumphal. "Paul Eluard, Capital of Pain."

"Capital…of pain?" Sakura choked. Tomoyo couldn't say a word, she could only stare at the book in Sakura's father's hands. 

"Capital…of pain?" Sakura choked. Tomoyo couldn't say a word, she could only stare at the book in Sakura's father's hands. 

"Yes, this poem has no name but it from the collection called Capital of Pain, however this poem is a love poem dedicated to the author's wife, I think. Here you are, Tomoyo-chan!" Fujitaka handed her the book, open at the page of the poem and Tomoyo didn't know if she really wanted to read the end. The poem was presented on a two page spread: on the right the original version, in French, on the other, in Japanese, ready for her to read.

"Thank you, sensei." 

_The curve of your eyes toured my heart,  
A circle of dance and sweetness,  
Halo of time, night and sure cradle,  
And if I know not for all that I have lived  
It is that your eyes did not always see me._

_Day sheets and froth of dew,  
Reeds of wind, the perfumes smiles,  
Wings covering the world of light,  
Boats loaded with the sky and the sea  
Hunters of the rumors__ and sources of colors__._

_Flavors__ bursts a brood of dawns  
Which lay always on straw of celestial bodies  
As day depends on the innocence,  
The whole world depends on your pure eyes  
And all my blood runs into their regards._

_End chapter 2._


	3. Outside

Chapter 3. Outside.

_Hey, guys, I'm already back… He! He! He! I did tell you this story was almost done, right? ^_~ Anyways, enjoy._

_Crystal Heart: Gomen. Gomen, I hope I didn't spell it wrong this time! _

_Thanks to all of you for your so kind reviews. _

_Standard Disclaimers Apply. _

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He reached in his bag and carefully folded the old parchment in four. Then, straightening up, he was about to slide the paper inside her locker when she cleared her throat behind him, surprising him. Eriol blinked, not turning around and bent his head, closing his eyes in defeat. The silence grew heavy between them and he oddly found himself calm, as if he was expected this to happen.

"How could I not sense you?" He asked her, still not turning to face her. Now that he knew she was behind him, he could almost smell her perfume and feel her presence. 

"Syaoran-kun put a spell on me." Tomoyo confessed, still not moving. She couldn't bring her feet to walk closer to him. All she could see was the paper in his right hand. "I had to promise him to stop Touya-kun from strangling him each time they see each other." But it didn't stop her from blabbering, she was feeling so nervous. It truly was Eriol. She had thought maybe it wasn't, maybe he hadn't really heard what she had said, maybe… But, after what she had just witness, she couldn't doubt anymore, Eriol was the one sending the poem to her. 

But Eriol didn't hear it. 

As she ran out of things to say, she tried once more to bring herself to walk closer to Eriol, but her feet wouldn't obey. All of the sudden, she felt scared. Frightened, she didn't even know why. Her world was shattering again and she didn't want it to change. She wanted things to stay as they were, she wanted him to stay her friend, she wanted no more than that, the rest was too complicated, the rest would bring her only tears and sorrow, she didn't want to see.

Eriol clutched the paper tightly in his right hand when, with a so small voice that he feared he had wounded her physically, she asked. "Why?"

Slowly, he brought his left hand to rest it against her locker and asked back. "Why does people send you letters, everyday?"  
And Tomoyo rebelled. Why was he asking that? She started to yell. She had never yelled to him before. "These are just confessions and I…" 

His sad smile swept her off her feet and she put hastily her hands on her mouth. Then her heart started to beat. Seeing his smile, so sad, almost pitiful, broke something inside her. It was like it was the first time in her life that her heart had ever beaten. Like a bird learning to fly for the first time, it beat its wings hastily, quicker and quicker then louder and louder, so much in fact that she started to feel pain. But… It was almost enjoyable. 

Her whole body trembling, she watched him turn around, his long bangs over his eyes. She watched him, speechless, come nearer and nearer and she feared her heart would burst. But it stopped all of the sudden when he handed her the paper without looking at her. "Here, this is the last part." 

Trembling, her eyes fell on his hand and she awkwardly reached out for it, but before she could close her fingers around it, Eriol vanished. 

Tomoyo gasped and frantically looked around her. The old parchment laid on the floor unnoticed. "Eriol!" She called, once, then twice and realized that he had never used his magic so bluntly in front of her. Never ever. He could only be in one room, she thought and as she was about to head for the music room, a strong hand fell on her shoulder. Whirling around, Tomoyo met Nakuru's sad eyes.

"Nakuru-chan!" She exclaimed, surprised.

Nakuru hugged Tomoyo as if to protect her, as if to shield her and said. "Tomoyo-sama, it's better to leave him alone right now." 

Tomoyo pulled out of her embrace and asked, hurriedly. She feared the Guardian had to come because… Because the Master was… The Master was doing something… Something… "What are you doing here?"

"Master forgot his lunch box home. Because… Because today was the deadline for him to win your heart. As himself, not the mysterious sender."

Tomoyo said nothing and looked down. At her feet, she found the old parchment. She gathered it and opened it, without noticing that Nakuru had left her and started to read. Nor did she notice the tears, which threatened to fall.

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Tomoyo was in the park, sitting alone on the swings, letting the cold biting winter wind harshly attack her black strands and the paper she held tightly between her gloved fingers. He had avoided her the whole day. Pretending to be sick, he had the teachers called upon Nakuru to pick him up back to his mansion, before the first class even started. Their first teacher had said that Eriol had really looked ill, as if his heart had been craved out. 

It had taken all Tomoyo's willpower and strength not to burst in tears, nor running away. Syaoran and Sakura had been of an incredible help, keeping the others away, letting her alone, nor asking stupid questions like how she was doing.

He had written the whole poem, this time both in French and in the translated version and she read and read, over and over again, as if it was the last thing for her left to do. Her heart in her chest painfully ached as each word passed by, like a grand waterfall, and her eyes roamed relentlessly over the words, eager to read the next, dreading to reach the end. 

So she read the poem again. As if it could stop the hurt and the dread, like a shining barrier of happier times, merry souvenirs and sweet flavours of chocolate and cookies. She refused to move, she refused to let herself hear her cold body's pleas to mercy and heat as the wind grew stronger. Couldn't time hold on a moment? To let her get use to the idea of losing him. Forever. Because she had. She had lost him. But he had too, he had lost her by going away, he had crossed that line and she hadn't, like for Sakura, he had become something unreachable to the kinds like her. So she stayed where she was, her paper in her hands, her little nose turning red, her cheeks bitten by the cold and her heart aching. 

Unknown to her, a young man, with messy dark hair was watching her for quite some time, now. He was tall and broad-shouldered with sometimes fiercer eyes than the blazing sun of the desert, sometimes so gentle eyes, which could cast away any worries or troubles. He once had a power, which allowed him to see the souls of the dead people, wandering, worrying about their loved ones, left living. Touya tightened his white scarf around his neck and walked in the playground, where his cousin was sitting. 

His black-gloved hands itched for reaching out and hugging the frail figure sitting on the swings to his chest, as it was the first he had witnessed her in a so depressed state. He knew it wasn't the first time she suffered from heartache, but it was the first time someone of her family had seen her in such state. As Touya walked closer to her, he remembered the first time he had seen her, sitting with Sakura, laughing, her long black hair floating. The first time he had realized she was his cousin, the first time he had thought he was in deep trouble because he had now to watch not only over one but two extremely pretty girls. 

The first time he had realized there was something different in Tomoyo's eyes than in Sakura's eyes, the first time he had understood that the first loved the second. He hadn't been able to help her that time, because he wasn't the right person to do so. 

So, he had watched, like a passer-by, he had watched her face lit up, shadowed down, keeping her feelings inside, walking aside to let the place to another. But then, another had come back, bringing back the joy and smile and the same who had brought all this, was taking it away again from her.

"Tomoyo-chan, what's wrong?" 

The voice surprised her and she snapped her head up to see her older cousin standing there. He had a white scarf wrapped around his nose and a heavy black jacket along with the black gloves she had offered him for last Christmas. He smiled over the scarf and sat on the swing, next to hers. 

"Touya-kun." She titled her head on the side, trying to quickly shove her emotions inside the box and lock it, before his sharp eyes could notice.

"What's wrong, Tomoyo-chan?" He repeated, his eyes gentle. 

Taken aback, Tomoyo realized for the first time she didn't want to lock her emotions away. She wanted to yell them, scream at Eriol how unfair of him it was and yet, she lied. "Hum… Nothing. I just wanted to dream a little by myself in the park."

"It's ugly for a such pretty lady to lie." Touya said, starting the swing slowly. It had snowed the day before and in the park an eerie silence was lingering, as if a faerie spirit was floating around, her fingers on her cherry lips, telling the trees and birds not to disturb the silence. 

Only Touya could surprise her so and only him could see so easily through her lies. Eriol could, but only because they had spent so much time together. "Your mother's gone ballistic because you're missing." Touya smiled and explained.

"Oh." Tomoyo only managed to utter. Touya even knew why she was here. "I… I managed to sneak out of school before my bodyguards could catch me." 

Touya let another smile escape him and kept on going back and forth on the swing while Tomoyo waited for him to speak. But after a while of watching him play, she realized he wouldn't speak first, he was waiting for her to break the silence, forcing her to say something.

Tomoyo chewed on her lower lip for a moment, while he kept on playing, before asking in a low voice, awkwardly. "How did you feel the first time you realized Yukito-san was… more than just a friend?"

Touya stopped playing all of the sudden and turned on the swing to take a better look at her. "So, he finally confessed." Touya smiled sadly and sighed, leaning on his elbows on his thighs.

Tomoyo blushed and bent her head, insisting. "How did you know you lo-… He was more?" 

Touya eyed her a moment in silence, then started slowly, his eyes turning to survey the tranquil park. "It was weird the first days. First, because I knew Yuki wasn't human and wasn't aware of it and then, this doubt was sent away because I realized it wasn't important. But then, I started worrying of being rejected."

Touya stopped and looked up at the sky. It was a mix of orange, red, blue, purple and white, a sunset. "I was scared Yuki wouldn't accept me the way I am if I ever told him anything. So I decided to go on, pretend nothing had changed, but it didn't last long, as Yuki started to have troubles because Sakura couldn't support his life." 

Touya looked down to find Tomoyo looking expectantly up at him, her eyes huge and somehow a little fearful. Touya only smiled at her concern for him and reached out to put his hand on her head, telling her in a gesture, he didn't mind bringing out old memories. "Yuki needed me, he needed my power. It didn't matter to me if my real feelings were revealed to Yuki, I just wanted him to be there. That's why I never hesitated when I understood all I needed to do was to give my power to Yuki. Even if Yuki would after think he was abusing of my feelings, I wanted him to be around."

"But, why?" Tomoyo asked weakly. She needed to understand how someone could sacrifice everything, even letting his feelings known to the one he wanted to be happy and so, causing him sadness.

"I wanted him to be around. I wanted to be around him." Tomoyo looked up at him, to see his smiling broadly. Then the smile wavered and his eyes turned sad. "Yuki… Yuki was feeling ashamed because he took my power but when I explained why I couldn't let go, he decided he wouldn't let go either. Yuki is now aware he's not human and so, he and Yue share the memories and when Yue is there, Yuki is too. Like Nakuru in fact. And Yue… Yue was in love with Clow. Yuki and I talked a lot about Clow. Clow was a lonely man because he needn't anyone to go on. Not even Kerberos or Yue, because he already knew what would happen, because he already knew they would find Sakura and Sakura find them. However, Eriol isn't Clow, even if he holds Clow's memories. He needs people to go on. He needs someone to support him and someone he would support, feeling needed and needing someone… Specially you."

Really confused at his words, Tomoyo couldn't help but ask. "Why?" 

"Don't you know?" Touya blinked, his turn of being surprised.

Tomoyo earnestly shook her head, in a negative way. "No. I don't understand. Needing someone and being happy is not the same." She firmly said.

Touya's eyes softened and he asked, starting the swing again. "Really?" 

"Yes." Tomoyo nodded, sure of herself. She knew happiness couldn't be that. 

But his following question shook her, once more. "Are you happy?"

Tomoyo remained speechless for a couple of minutes before saying. "I… I guess." But her tone had wavered, failing to show the same firmness it had earlier displayed. She knew she was lying. She wasn't happy, otherwise why would she be there, sitting alone in a freezing park? She knew she was lying and he knew it too. Just like Eriol had always known when she was doing it. 

"Guess?" Touya repeated. She was confused and lying to him, an automatic response to keep the others at bay, from worrying about her. He mused sadly, his cousin was too careful of not making others making worry about her sometimes.

"I know happiness when the one I love is be happy." She said, almost absent-mindedly.

Touya stopped the swing suddenly and turned to her. "But Sakura is happy with Syaoran. And you're not happy." He pointed out, shaking his head.

She tried to take control of the conversation, she didn't want someone to pry her feelings, she didn't want someone else to see and know. "I…"

But Touya didn't let her run away from his sharp eyes. "Don't you think it's about time you start being selfish for a while and take what's yours?" Tomoyo gave up. He had said the same thing too. Another day, shortly after she had confessed how hurt she had been when Syaoran had returned, how ugly she had felt to feel this way or how she felt too coward to tell Sakura her real feelings, he had said the same, while pushing his glasses up his nose.

Beaten, Tomoyo acknowledged the fact that another dark-haired man had seen right through her defences and honestly repeated. "I don't understand."

Touya stood up and stretched. Tomoyo followed his movements with her eyes and waited for him to speak when he extended a hand to her. "You will." Touya's face broke with a gentle smile. "Better call your mom, now. I'm afraid she's already killed my dad because she couldn't find you. She was already shaking him crazy when I left." Touya pulled her after him outside the freezing park, reaching inside his jacket for his cell phone, without letting go of her hand.

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"I've decided to go back to England." 

Spinel snapped out of his book and looked up at his master, curled in his chair. Nakuru had brought him back several hours ago, already and it was the first time Eriol had spoken since he was back from school. "Master?"  Spinel flew from the cushioned bench under the window to the arm of the red chair. With a little paw the winged-creature patted gently its master's cheek. He knew it was bound to happen. When Nakuru had been back from school, with Eriol, after she had told him what had happened, Spinel had known it was a matter of time before their master decided to leave. Eriol had spent the day in the chair, unmoving, like a frozen doll, he had just stared into nothing, even when Nakuru tried to shove food in his mouth. 

A shrill answered his declaration coming from the kitchen. "What?" Nakuru burst in the living room. "Eriol-sama, Why?" She whined her long hair flying everywhere, as she shook her head vehemently in denial.

Eriol stared down at her for a long time. These were his guardians, the ones he created to achieve his dream. But, over the years, without him noticing, they changed from Guardians to companions. Somewhere, along the line, something went wrong and… But, was it truly wrong? That he didn't feel like their Master anymore but as their friend? He ought to explain. "I…" He started when a ringing stopped him. "The phone." He remarked.

Spinel flew over and peeked the number from the machine. "It's Syaoran-sama's cell phone."

Eriol felt a smile creep on his lips. "Hand it over." So the descendant is worried. 

Syaoran didn't let him the chance to speak and as soon as Eriol placed the receiver against his ear, the Chinese boy in his best grumpy mood, with the voice and probably the scowl too, bluntly said. "I want to meet you now. Hurry up and bring your sorry ass to the park."

"No!" Eriol cheerfully said and hang up. 

"That was pretty rude, Eriol-sama." Nakuru lectured him but he ignored beautifully. 

"That's okay. Prepare a mug of hot chocolate for Syaoran." Eriol sat up in his chair and Spinel flew to his shoulder. Eriol smiled gently to him and scratched Spinel's chin, just like Spinel liked it while Nakuru disappeared once more in the kitchen.

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"Right on time, Syaoran-kun!" Nakuru said cheerfully as Syaoran kicked their front door open. Syaoran blinked at her, then scowled. So the jerk was expecting him.

"What do you want?" Syaoran growled as he walked past her. 

Nakuru shook her head and moved to prevent Syaoran from going further in the house. But Syaoran would have none of this and tried to walk round her. "Just as Master said it would happen." Nakuru sighed heavily.

Syaoran stopped and pondered for a moment: Eriol had known he would come, he had known what would happen. "That guy…" He started but Nakuru stopped him. 

"He didn't get his divinatory powers back. But, he knows you. Like you should know him." She added slowly and causing Syaoran to frown. If there was something on earth he couldn't figure out was Eriol Hiiragizawa. What did that freak mean? The freak in question only smiled at the scowl and frown and turned herself back in her true form but she made her wings disappeared, as they bothered her.  

"Ruby Moon." Syaoran finally greeted her and gave her his mantle when she extended her hand. Smiling, she nodded to him and told him.

"Master's waiting in the living-room." Finally stepping aside, Ruby Moon allowed him to go beat the crap out of her Master if Syaoran had a word in it.

He was angry, oh, so angry. That stupid guy had made Tomoyo's day miserable and in the extent, Sakura depressed. Aside from reading that shitty piece of parchment, Tomoyo did nothing but look like she was ready to burst in tears or shatter if somebody touched her. His anger flooded the mansion, causing Spinel to look up from his master's chair arm and the small black creature sighed when the Chinese boy came in.

Eriol was still sitting in his red chair, her head bent on his chest, Spinel on his right. His bangs were falling on his eyes and Syaoran couldn't see his expression.

Without waiting for Syaoran to start yelling, Spinel transformed back to his true form and settled at his master's feet, like a guarding dog. And Syaoran couldn't ignore the actual glare coming from the always-composed Spinel Sun.

It actually managed to calm Syaoran down a little, therefore, all he did was yelling. "What did you do to Tomoyo, stupid jackass? She was all depressed because of you! I told you not to play with her!" He accused and Syaoran would have go on for hours like that, when Eriol suddenly started laughing, just when Ruby Moon entered the room. Madly, the English boy started to laugh and Syaoran couldn't believe his eyes or his ears. Meanwhile, someone rang at their door except that none but Spinel heard it, between Syaoran's curses in both Chinese and Japanese, Ruby Moon's yells and Eriol's hysteric laughter. Knowing there was really little he could do, Spinel got to open the door. Maybe, it was the sole person his master wanted to see. 

Barely containing his anger, Syaoran walked to Eriol, ready to beat the other man up: was he laughing because he had managed to pull a good stunt? Under the rage, Syaoran gathered his power and slowly released it, creating a barrier that engulfed only Eriol's house naturally. 

Panicked, Ruby Moon ran before her master, extending her arms to protect him. Ruby Moon was going her best against Syaoran but her shield wouldn't last very long. When the two of them had first met, she could have easily beaten him, but he had grown up, so had his power and his physical strength, she no longer was a match for him, but it didn't stop her from doing her best in restraining him to touch her master. "Syaoran-kun!" She yelled. "Don't! Stop!" If Syaoran used stronger attacks, she knew she wouldn't be able to hold him back, but she had to try, her master was more than worth it.

"Move!" Syaoran yelled at Ruby Moon then threw another insult at Eriol, still chuckling behind Ruby Moon. "You asshole! Move, Ruby Moon!" He warned Ruby Moon one more time, before strengthening his attack. But the Guardian was stubborn and only yelled back.

"Never! Look at his eyes!" Her outburst surprised Syaoran. Why would she want him to look at Eriol's eyes? Syaoran naturally threw a glance at the other's eyes to see tears glistening and running down the English boy face. Syaoran stopped all of the sudden and withdrawn his powers. Tears.

"What the hell is going on down here?" A dry voice resonated from behind him, a voice he dreaded to hear whenever he was walking his love home, making Syaoran turn around. His personal nemesis, his archenemy, Touya, was there. Followed by Yukito and Spinel Sun, Sakura's older brother came in, glaring at Syaoran. Spinel Sun and Yukito hurried to Ruby Moon's side to see if she was all right. And Ruby Moon tackled Yukito to the ground, her arms around his neck. 

A small voice, which belonged to someone ignored in the room suddenly rose and froze the others with its lack of life. "I'm going back to England." Eriol said.

Touya snorted rudely. "Are you running away again?" Eriol's head snapped up and eyes wide behind his glasses, he watched the tall young man walk to one of the chairs and installed himself. 

Yukito smiled at Touya's rudeness and sat up, on the floor, Ruby Moon gently, but firmly removed from his lap. "She's worth another try, isn't she?" Eriol turned his eyes down at him. 

"Yue." He called, sorrowfully.

"Yue's heart and Yukito's heart are now one." The silver-haired man said. "We are no longer different so I know more than anyone else that Clow had always been alone and miserable, even with me and Kerberos. I believe it's about time to make thing change a little, don't you think?" He then said quietly, almost shyly, looking at his hands. "Maybe, like for me, it may end up really well." 

But only Eriol heard his small confession, as Syaoran yelled at Touya. "What the hell are you going here?"

Which earned him an answer as dry. "What about you, brat?"

Yukito shook his head and raised his hands. "Maa, Touya-kun… Let's not start fighting, we're not here for that, if I recall." Yukito held Touya's gaze for a few minutes, smiling gently and Touya backed away, to Syaoran's wonder.

Turning his head aside, Touya swore. "Che. Do I have to have a reason?" He asked Syaoran, standing up and looming over the other boy. Much to Syaoran's chagrin, Touya was still taller than he was. 

"Tomoyo is my cousin and the only child of her family, so someone has to take care of her." At this point, Touya crossed his arms on his chest, as if daring Syaoran to deny him that right. 

"Even if she's intelligent enough to take care of herself most of the time, she still needs someone to push her in the right direction." Touya slowly turned from Syaoran to Eriol, catching the other dark-haired eyes. "After all, as gifted that she is, she's still only a human." He said, watching Eriol in the eyes. Only Touya could shock him so, his own son in a strange way. Eriol thought, bending his head, as he no longer was able to hold Touya's fierce stare, a wry smile on his lips.

"As for me, I remember my time as Yue, now." Yukito explained quietly. "I've found my memories of the time we lived with Clow."

Almost like a sob, or a crack in the wooden box, something snapped open in Eriol's chest. Thousands of thoughts went flying restlessly in Eriol's mind. First, her picture, always her, first. Then his heart and his foolish actions, he should have known better, he had known from the very beginning he was fighting a lost battle, so why did he go on? Another mystery to add under the category 'Human Heart Matter'. 

Then, something else was surprising him. Eriol raised his head and met Touya's gaze. Why do you care? I'm just the other half of your father, a stranger you've met maybe twice. Someone who disrupted your lives. "Why?" He finally forced himself to ask, weakly. 

Weakly, and Syaoran stared. He had never seen Eriol look weak and somehow, it didn't please him, no it frightened him. After all, Eriol was technically family and a relative's problems were his problems since he was the Head Clan. Strengthening his resolve, Syaoran nodded to himself and tightened his fists. It was going to be a long night, with Eriol's thick head.

Touya only shrugged, his hands shoved in his pockets. "You were once one with my father, so you're a part of the family and someone has to do something. If not friends, why not family?"

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She was crying. Her baby was crying her heart out on her bed in the dark, her sheets clasped tightly in her hands, her head buried on her white pillows, her so dark hair spilled on them, looking like blood. In the pale light of the fading day, on this winter afternoon, Tomoyo was still locked up in her own room. Sonomi had finally found the spare key to her daughter's room and after a multitudes of call unanswered, pleas ignored and worries looked over, she had decided, as a mother, to step in her daughter's intimacy without her consent. 

Tomoyo had gone missing, after the school, the day before and had spent the whole Saturday bed ridden. She had refused to eat or drink, or speak. She had refused to share her feelings, or cry. But, then, one of the maids had found an old letter, a strange message in a foreign tone and thinking it would please Tomoyo as she had been seen several times with it, had given it to her. Then something had snapped. And torrents of tears had flowed since then. 

So, there she was, in Tomoyo's doorway, watching her daughter and her torn heart, sobbing on her bed. 

Sonomi rushed to Tomoyo's side and put her arms around her frail form.

"Tomoyo, Tomoyo dear…" Sonomi whispered urgently, each sobs Tomoyo let go was breaking her heart. How could she, her own mother, make her stop crying? How could she dry her tears? How could she stop whatever was hurting her baby? "Tell mother what happened. Sweetheart, stop crying… Shh, mother is here… Tell me…" She rocked Tomoyo in her arms, back and forth, back and forth, but nothing, apart sobs from Tomoyo answered her. So Sonomi repeated her pleas again, and again, till her daughter's weak voice, on the verge of breaking finally said. 

"He… He says he's in… The letters, it was him… His confession to me and I… I don't know what to do… I don't want to lose him… But I…"

Sonomi sighed. A guy problem. She hugged Tomoyo tighter to her chest and asked her again. "Dearest, why are you crying?"

Tomoyo buried her head in her mother's chest, letting her familiar warmth engulfed her, making her feel safe. "Because I… I… He…" Tomoyo hiccupped and her mother finished for her.

"Because Eriol-kun loves you?" Sonomi asked gently. Brushing Tomoyo's bangs off her eyes, Sonomi cupped her daughter's face, smiling gently down at her. And you don't know how you feel about him?" At Tomoyo's surprised stare of her mother already knowing what was going on, Sonomi smiled proudly and whispered, before dropping a kiss in Tomoyo's hair. "Touya-kun. Well, what do you think?" 

Tomoyo pulled gently out of her mother's arms and kneeled on the covers of her bed, sniffling. Slowly, she started. "I… I like Eriol a lot. But I still don't know if it's…" 

"Love?" Sonomi proposed and Tomoyo nodded, without looking at her.

"Hum." 

Sonomi smiled ruefully and thought of kissing Touya right now. Sonomi had called him, demanding him to come over to explain exactly what he did to her daughter or what had happened the night he found her alone in the park, because she had locked herself up. Touya had rushed over, worried for Tomoyo and had explained with few words what had occurred. Actually, he was still sitting downstairs, in the living room. Then, nodding to herself, knowing it was the best way for Tomoyo, she proposed. "Dearest, what you need right now is a bowl of fresh air."

Tomoyo stared blankly at her mother. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were surely all red and blurry, all swollen. There were some women who could cry prettily… Tomoyo wasn't among them.  "I… I really don't feel like going out." She said, suddenly feeling al conscious of herself. But, Sonomi would have none of this.

"Oh? Even with a nice gentleman with glasses, who happens to be waiting for you downstairs? He proposes a nice cup of tea and maybe few cakes at the new teahouse." Tomoyo stopped breathing. And jumped out of bed, ran out of her bedroom, flew down the stairs, her heart beating loudly and between each of the beats, a name was repeated. Could it be? Could he? Had he? Really? Was he going to tell her again? Could she ask him for forgiveness? 

Eriol. Eriol. Eriol. Eriol. Eriol. Eriol. Eriol. Eriol. Eriol. Eriol.

The questions whirled, the doubts plagued but neither slowed her course, she needed to see if her hopes were… But, it was another young man, who was standing down the stairs, Tomoyo's coat under his arm. Yukito smiled gently down at her, when she stopped in the entrance of the living room, her eyes huge and the disappointment obvious on her features.

"I will not take offence of this air of huge disappointment, only if you would accept my invitation for a cup of tea and maybe a cake or two."

Tomoyo blushed, embarrassed, and nodded. Sighing, she turned upon her heels to get ready, but her mother was right behind her, a hairbrush in her right hand and before Tomoyo could blink twice, her hair had been brushed, her face wiped from tears, her purse shoved in her hands, her dress changed to a none wrinkled one and she and Yukito were standing in front of Tomoyo's mansion front door.

"Maa," Yukito remarked. "Your mother is quite efficient when she wants something."

And Tomoyo could only agree.

_End Chapter 3._

__

Tada! Here's the end of chapter 3. 

_Review Time:_

Ranka: Thank you! I hope I won't disappoint you too much! Watch out the next few days, the next (and last) part is about to come out!!

_GoldenRed Phoenixia: Heheheheheh! *Blush*  thanks!!_

_Sweetblossom: well, two chapters in less than 3 days, it's not that bad, right? ^_~ _

_Psych: Wait!! Just a few days! Maybe even tomorrow for the next part!! (written on the 9/12/02)_

_June: Heh, sorry I made her confront him immediately. But, I really hope you didn't mind!_

_Crystal Heart: I'm sorry! I'm so ashamed! I hate it too when people misspelled my name or a manga character name's, it just ticks me off! I can't believe I did that in my own story!! Yah! Sorry!!_

_Summer Rain: Thank you! In fact, after the chapter 2, I was bone tired, so as soon as I finished it I updated it and went to bed… That's why I didn't let any comments at the end… -_-; _

_Space Ranger: Hehehehe, Tomoyo's pretty intelligent, after all. At least, she's not dumb enough not to look by herself for the mysterious guy identity! Anyway, we're nearing the end, hold on with me!_

_Polgara-C: BLUSH. Embarrassed… Thanks…_

_Sachi-chan: Yeah! I'm glad! I was scared Syaoran would be too much out of character… Bouh, I'm glad you think he isn't!_

_Nasia: Yay! I'm French and I love Paul Eluard's poem. And it's an excellent way to approach a girl!! Well, in my point of view._

_Kalyani: Close! You almost found out! (When I read your review the first time, I freaked out, thinking, my god, that girl almost got it right! Am I that obvious?)_

_Chrisie B.: Thanks for your support! _

_KasumiDestruction: Spin the Spinel… Poor Spinel Sun… I found that, looking at a picture of Spinel (you know, one when he's in his real form, on a tree branch, by night) and his tail could be seen, and it's all rolled, spun at the end of it… So, the "Spin the Spinel" part…_

_Tomoyo&Eriol4ever: I'm so sorry it took me forever to update! I just hope it was worth your time!_

_KyteAura: Ah! This part wasn't exactly quite funny for Tomoyo, was it? But who knows, maybe it can all turn well, in the end… ^_~ _

_BlueBerrieAngel: I'm so sooooooorrrry! I made you guys wait forever! Wah! Gomen! But, I promise the next part will be up tomorrow or the day after, not after! I swear it!!_

_Well, please, leave me a review and see you on the next chapter!_

_Mikim_


	4. Like a cup of hot chocolate and cakes

_Chapter 4. Like a cup of hot chocolate and cakes._

_Wow, already an update! I don't think I've ever updated so quickly before… Oh, well, there's a first to everything, right? Thank you so much for your kind reviews, in fact, it's them who urged me to post this so soon. An epilogue is planned, by the way._

_Yup, it's the last chapter._

_Standard Disclaimers Apply._

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

The new teahouse was quite crowded by the end of this cold Sunday, but they still managed to find a secluded table rather quickly. People were scattered here and there, talking quietly among themselves, laughing or whispering, holding tightly around their hot mugs. 

The teahouse was on the top of a recently built building, which was dominating all the others for the moment, with huge windows, which could let the people casually spending their time, enjoy the view. In the background, a permanent band played a slow and relaxing music and a few couples were even dancing to the enticing music. 

Yukito watched them for a moment, while he and Tomoyo were waiting for their orders. Apart from the actual orders to a waitress, Tomoyo hadn't said a word, a lost look in her dull purple eyes. The same look that she bore now, gazing, probably without seeing the town bathed in the fading daylight.

Yukito would have preferred her to speak first, but, sighing inwardly, he thought that this young girl, almost woman, was Touya's cousin. Meaning, maybe, she would have only if he was truly lucky but somehow feeling that he wasn't, as she was as half stubborn, maybe, that Touya himself. So gathering his thoughts and keeping his tone light, Yukito said, still glancing at the dancing couples behind Tomoyo, over her shoulder. 

"Touya told me about your conversation in the park."

Almost absent-mindedly, Tomoyo nodded but Yukito's sharp eyes didn't miss her tense shoulders. 

Slowly, folding his hands before him, Yukito started, his gaze dropping to his hands, reminiscing the past and the pain it held, among the joy. "I refused my new identity only for Touya…" A small smile crept to his lips, he could almost see Touya's horrified face when he had been told the truth about why Yukito hadn't told him sooner, about why Yukito forced himself to forget he wasn't a 'real human'. 

"I didn't want Touya to know about me not being a real human, I was scared Touya would reject me." He now could remember the time before he forced himself to forget about his real identity, shortly after meeting Touya for the first time, during those long nights, waiting for something unknown, but dreading that Touya would find out about his double personality and cast him away. "But when I started to grow weak, I also started worrying on not being able to see Touya anymore and that scared me to death." 

Tomoyo raised her head and stared at Yukito and his folding hands: his knuckles were white from him tightening his fingers too hard. Sakura had told her about this incident and the outcome, Yukito's real identity, but she had never thought it held so much pain and sadness for Yukito. She hadn't realized about dependent Yukito was of Touya. She had always believed it was the opposite, that if Touya was still there, it was all for Yukito's sake, after all, Touya had given up his power for Yukito.

"If I couldn't see Touya anymore, why living then?" Yukito kept on, leaning on his elbows, taking his face closer to Tomoyo's who hadn't realized he had looked up, focused as she was on his hands and words. "That's why I unconsciously I reached out for Touya when I fainted in gym class. Because I knew my life was vanishing but at least, I wanted Touya to be there." 

Tomoyo stared in the huge smiling eyes of the man sitting opposite to her. His glasses were shining in the fading light and his silver hair gleaming orange and red, like a gentle and warm fire. Tomoyo was about to pour her heart on him when the waitress popped out of nowhere, shattering their private universe, where the rest of the teahouse didn't exist, and placed before them huge amount of dessert, cakes of all sorts, even several ice-creams and two mugs of very hot chocolate.

When the young woman finally left the two of them alone, Tomoyo had lost the urge to tell someone, she had withdrawn in her shell, not knowing what to do, know knowing how Yukito had managed to knock it down the first time. She wrapped her hands around her mug, head bent and it took all her might not to burst in tears.

Yukito surveyed her from the corner of his eyes, as he wolfed down his third slice of lemon pie. Smiling to himself, he recognized once more, Touya's stubbornness in the girl. 

"Tomoyo-chan?" He asked cheerfully, transferring another slice of cake to his plate.

"Yes?" She answered, like a robot, looking up. Years and years of polite training finally kicking in. 

Unexpectedly, Yukito shoved a bit of the lemon pie of his plate in her mouth. "Here." He said, cheerfully again, beaming like a child. 

"Ah! Yukito-san!" Tomoyo exclaimed, embarrassed as her hand flew to her mouth, blushing madly. From the corner of her eyes, she noticed a few people, glancing hers and Yukito's way. She noticed the sly looks, shining of male pride or just envious, and the gentle smiles, warms smiles of couples, remembering their own young days, smiling like parents. They must believe we're dating. She thought, her hand still on her mouth, red.

As he hadn't a care in the world, Yukito kept on eating, as usual. "It's good, isn't it?" He smiled.

That was when she understood. Why he fed her. To cheer her up. Her heart almost burst from gratitude and happiness of knowing someone cared enough. Someone cared enough to take her, here, to make a fool of himself to lift her spirit, someone with glasses. He too had done this kinds of silly tricks to cheer her up. He, Eriol. 

"I…" Tomoyo stopped and turned to look at the city under them. The night was creeping closer. "I understand what you've said, Yukito-san." She assured him, her tone firm, but her eyes still looking away. Yukito carefully placed his fork by his plate and took a sip of water. 

"Really?" He questioned her, as he placed the glass down.

Tomoyo nodded but didn't utter a sound, nor looking at him either. Yukito almost sighed aloud and decided against it, preferring eating. He ate in silence for a while, when she sipped on her hot chocolate. The fork in his mouth, Yukito pondered for a while, then reached out for her small porcelain hand, surprising Tomoyo by his bold move.

Her eyes quickly travelled from her hand up to his face, finally meeting his eyes, warm brown and rigid purple clashing. "Yukito-san?" She wondered, confused at his gesture.

"How would you feel, if Eriol would be to leave tomorrow?"

"I… I'd be… sad."

Yukito sighed and shook his head, squeezing her hand. "Try, Tomoyo-chan. Really. Eriol-kun booked some tickets for him and his guardians to go back to England."

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

Tomoyo said nothing and just stared at Yukito. Then in slow motion, colours and sounds came back to her and she felt a freezing hand running down her spine, causing her to shiver madly. She blinked once and a tear ran down her porcelain-like face. "Really?" She managed to utter with enough detachment, but Yukito wasn't fooled. 

"Tomoyo-chan," he started gently. "Look at me." And when she did, he asked her in a soft voice. "How do you feel? How do you truly feel?" He put a light stress on his last question and surveyed her face closely. Tomoyo in response, closed her eyes and brought a trembling hand to her heart, where she clutched her fingers tightly around the material. 

"Dead." 

Yukito released her other hand and brought it to her face, resting it against her cheek, surprising Tomoyo and snapping her out of her state. "Touya and Syaoran-kun managed to knock some sense in his thick head, last night. Even though it took them two night of constant lecturing, several threats, having Spinel Sun sitting on his back in his true form to prevent him from fleeing and promises of taking his heart out with a silver spoon, they managed to convince him not to leave before everything is lost." Yukito smiled broadly and winked at her. "It's as far they could get, they couldn't make him promise to stay forever, this, is up to you." He finished proudly, handing her his handkerchief.

Tomoyo wiped her tears, smiling weakly. It was as simple as a cup of hot chocolate and cakes, she was in love with Eriol. It dawned on her like the sunrise, evident, obvious, illuminating every corners of her heart, as easy as breathing, it just came. 

Without wonder, hurt or sweeping her off her feet, it just came over, she felt like looking for something for hours, only to find it sitting on her lap or behind her ear. 

Just like Eriol who would turn the house upside down while looking for his glasses, when they were on his nose. Feeling silly for not realizing sooner, Tomoyo, between her tears, giggled. 

Yukito smiled at this and chuckled with her. His chuckles died in his throat, turning in another of his soft smiles when Tomoyo asked him. "Why do you help me so much? First Touya-kun and then you."

"I am Yue and Yue is me." Yukito, mimicking her earlier action, put his hand over his heart, his eyes closed, as he said slowly. "I was in love with Clow Reed, but Clow Reed didn't love me because he didn't see anything interesting in life, nothing was new. Not even love." 

Yukito opened his eyes, turning them towards the illuminated city and he whispered, like sharing a secret with her. "I was blessed a second time and this time my love is shared but I'd like him to be happy." 

Tomoyo stared for a while and when he turned to meet her eyes, she answered with a smile of her own. Smile, which turned mischievous as she faked scowling at him. "That was mean, Yukito-san." She pouted and Yukito laughed. He had never thought she could be such a tease. 

"Maa, let me treat you another piece of cake to make you forgive me, ok?"

"Treat me? Or treat yourself?" Tomoyo asked him, as he attracted the attention of a nearby waitress.

Yukito laughed once more and declared, in a playful tone. "Touché."

Tomoyo giggled while he ordered another round of cakes and cookies but when the waitress was gone, she said, her heart soaring. "Thank you." 

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

"Come on, you jerk, move, will you?" Syaoran grumpily said, pushing forward a dazed Eriol. For the last three nights, Syaoran had slept over Eriol's house, making sure the English boy wouldn't sneak away in the night after the hard-won promise he and Touya had managed to wrench from him. Since then, Eriol always seemed to be in a kind of fog or as if he had smoked a little too much. But Syaoran knew he hadn't smoked anything, nor didn't he have a single drop of alcohol or any kind of any substance for the matter running in his system, as he refused to eat or drink anything. In fact, Eriol had done really little apart from avoiding Tomoyo like the plague and sitting in his red high chair, staring at nothing. 

As if just remembering how, Eriol raised his hand to open his shoe locker, his head bent with his long dark bangs falling over his eyes. Syaoran sighed again at the speed or rather the lack of it, Eriol was moving. 

"Come on, you zombie, I want to attend today's class, you know? Not tomorrow's!" Syaoran gave another push in Eriol's back with his left elbow, as he had already put his school shoes on. He was standing next to Eriol, his hands crossed behind his head, his bag in his left one, he turned his gaze to Eriol's shoes as something red had attracted his eyes: a small red book was laying on them and as Eriol's hands closed on it, Syaoran trying to see the title, asked. 

"What's that?" But Eriol didn't answer: his face suddenly lit up with a huge smile and life entered his dead eyes once more. He spun on his heels trying to spot something when Sakura said, walking closer to the boys, a smile on her cherry lips.

"None of your business." Sakura laughed at Eriol's behaviour as he was extending his neck to see over the sea of students his Tomoyo." She's in your favourite room, Eriol-kun." As if just noticing her, Eriol turned his eyes down on her and smiled to her, nodding. He threw his school shoes on, leaving Syaoran to put his other shoes in the locker and ran down the hall without a glance backwards the small red book in his hand. 

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

As they witnessed Eriol running down the hall, Syaoran frowned at Eriol's suddenly full of life display and turned to his girlfriend. Sakura surveyed his face and smiled knowingly, she knew he was worried for Eriol even if he said the opposite. So she waited quietly next to him while he bent down to gather Eriol's shoes to put them in his locker. Then, holding hands, Syaoran and Sakura walked quietly down the hall to their class. "What was that book?" He finally grumpily asked, making Sakura smiled at the tone.

Sakura looked up at him, smiling back at him and answered. "It's Tomoyo-chan's response to Eriol-kun's confession. Yesterday, Yukito-san brought Tomoyo-chan to the new teahouse in town and he made her realize what she really felt for Eriol-kun by making her imagine how she'd feel if Eriol-kun left."

Syaoran stared down at Sakura and opened the door for her, letting her step first in the class, pondering on what Yukito did. As they walked down the aisle to their seats, while Sakura was waving everyone a greeting, Syaoran finally confessed. "I don't understand"

Turning back to him, after putting her bag on her chair, Sakura giggled and said "Silly." Frowning, and eliciting more giggles from his girlfriend, Syaoran put his bag on his table, taking off his coat while Sakura turned to face him, taking off her coat too, telling him. "Ne, Syaoran-kun…" 

"What is it?" He answered her, absent-mindedly, putting his coat away.

"I've wanted to tell you this a long time before but… Otousan has received an offer from a foreign university and I'm going with him."

Syaoran froze in his movements and turned slowly to face his girlfriend as the world came tumbling down on him. His vision suddenly darkened and the sounds stopped coming to his ears, only the suddenly pounding of his heart. He blinked, trying to find something to say, spluttered, opened his mouth more, closed it, opened it again, but none came until Sakura giggled once more.

"Silly, it's not true, but that's what Yukito-san did to Tomoyo-chan." Syaoran let the breath he had been holding back escape him as he fell in his chair, relieved, his shoulders down. He chuckled also, eyes closed in relied and Sakura bent down, till her elbows rested on his desk and kissed him gently on the cheek, in excuse. Syaoran looked up at her, happy as he nodded to her. 

"I see… It's when you think that you're losing someone that you realized how much you love that person." 

Sakura nodded to him, smiling. "Tomoyo-chan is really scared, but she doesn't want to lose Eriol-kun because of her fear." 

Smiling with her, Syaoran only shrugged and said "It's okay, it's now up to my ancestor to make her fear go away." 

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

"I see that you found my White Day present." Tomoyo stated as Eriol barged in the room, panting from running. She had her back to him, sitting by the piano, her hands creating a soft lullaby he had once taught her.

"Where's mine?" Tomoyo asked him, smiling gently, as if everything was normal, her head titled on the side. The sun stroke her black hair and he wished he had enough courage to do it himself while in his chest, his crazy heart started to pound louder. Tomoyo stopped playing and turned on the bench to face him. And he couldn't take it anymore. He bent his head, his breathing turning raged and he whispered hoarsely.

"You already received it." A giggle took him aback and Eriol snapped his head up and could only stare at her, watching his beloved, devouring her with his eyes as she stood up from the bench and gracefully walked closer to him. The sunlight was flooding in the room by the window behind Tomoyo, casting a golden aura around her. Her hair was shining purple and her eyes were almost light violet. A warm violet pulling a string on his heart. An angel or a demon, he couldn't tell because she could shatter him in a glance or pull him with her, high in heavens.

As Tomoyo stood just in front of him, Eriol grabbed her right hand gently and put it on his pounding heart, looking in her eyes. His breathing quickened and Tomoyo could feel under her fingers his heart starting to beat faster and stronger in his chest. 

Eriol couldn't say more. He didn't trust his voice. He was hoping beyond hope but her smile only encouraged him. So trembling, he closed his arms around her, bringing his brow against hers, her hand still placed over his heart. For a while, they didn't move and he didn't dare to speak, to ask her the question whirling in his mind. 

The world seemed to have stopped around them: they didn't notice the giggling students passing in the hall pointing at them, as Eriol had forgotten to close the door behind him, nor did they hear the ringing of the first bell, telling the students to get back in their classes. They were wrapped together in another world where they were alone but content in that intimacy, the outside world was reduced to the song of a nearby bird calling the spring. Their world was resumed only of their arms around each other, their foreheads against one another and their hearts beating at the same rhythm.

Maybe, she sensed his wonder, maybe she found courage, maybe she was waiting for him to initiate but seeing as nervous as he was deciding to initiate it herself, maybe… He'd ask his question later, right now it didn't really matter to him to know what made her act this way, he'd have time, and if he could help it, he had a lifetime to ask her as Tomoyo tiptoed and placed her lips against his own in a feather-like kiss.

On the cover of a small red book lying carelessly, forgotten, on the cold floor of the music room, in gold letters, shining gently in the morning light, if someone had looked at it, one would have been able to read. 

Paul Eluard. Capital of Pain.

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::

_La courbe de tes yeux fait le tour de mon cœur  
Un rond de danse et de douceur,  
Auréole du temps, berceau nocturne et sûr,  
Et si je ne sais plus du tout ce que j'ai vécu,  
C'est que tes yeux ne m'ont pas toujours vu._

Feuilles de jour et mousse de rosée,  
Roseaux du vent, sourires parfumés  
Ailes couvrant le monde de lumière,  
Bateaux chargés du ciel et de la mer,  
Chasseurs des bruits et sources des couleurs.

_Parfum éclos d'une couvée d'aurores  
Qui gît toujours sur la paille des astres  
Comme le jour dépend de l'innocence,   
Le monde entier dépend de tes yeux purs  
Et tout mon sang coule dans leurs regards._

__

_The curve of your eyes toured my heart,  
A circle of dance and sweetness,  
Halo of time, night and sure cradle,  
And if I know not for all that I have lived  
It is that your eyes did not always see me._

_Day sheets and froth of dew,  
Reeds of wind, the perfumes smiles,  
Wings covering the world of light,  
Boats loaded with the sky and the sea  
Hunters of the rumours and sources of colours._

_Flavours bursts a brood of dawns  
Which lay always on straw of celestial bodies  
As day depends on the innocence,  
The whole world depends on your pure eyes  
And all my blood runs into their regards._

__

_End Story._

__

_This heart-wrenching poem was written by a French author: Paul Eluard. __Capital de la douleur__ 1929._

_Author's note: _

Sob. Here it is, the end of "La Courbe de tes Yeux." Sob, sob. I'm so happy so many people reviewed for this little story who popped out of nowhere, I'm so happy you guys followed me through this and let me tell this tale. I'm so happy. I wish I had arms big enough to hug you all against my heart. Thank you. 

_Tomoyo and Eriol are my favourite Card Captor Sakura characters because they aren't helpless (I find Sakura sometimes quite helpless and it really ticks me off sometimes…Don't get me wrong, she's still a sweetheart, but Tomoyo's way much better!! I'm a sucker for dark-haired boys and girls anyway.) _

_As for Tomoyo not crying prettily, well, everybody picture Tomoyo as a princess, perfect in everything, at least I wanted a little something different, I just wanted to show her as a human being. _

_For Eriol, I've noticed we either make him know-it-all kind of guy or evil one. I've read a few where Eriol actually was seen as a human being not the 'reincarnation of the powerful Clow Read'. I don't know if I succeeded but I had to give it a try. _

_Ah, la, la… __Tricky things to write, isn't it._

_Anyway, an epilogue is planned, however it's still in work, meaning I only have the grand lines of it and the dialogues, the rest will come after, after but I promise not to take forever, maybe next week. _

_10.12.2002_

_mikim_


	5. After

Epilogue. After.  
  
Hey, everyone, it's been so long! So here's the epilogue which conclude this little story. I thank everyone of you who have taken time to read this and review. Thank you.  
  
This is dedicated to you all.  
  
Mikim. ::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::  
  
I'm nervous. He realized, shifting his weight on his other foot, as he stood, in the dark of the room, gazing outside, by the huge French doors. It's been a while since I've last been that nervous. He mused, almost comically.  
  
Again, his hand reached up to rearrange the too tight dark tie he wore, then the same hand travelled up to run in his hair and settled back on his other arm, as he folded them once more, still gazing outside.  
  
The moon was playing hide and seek among the clouds, smiling gently down him. The moon, he had always held an untold liking to the moon. He had always felt a link to it, a connection, something instinctive. Surely because he was a creature of the night, a sorcerer, a wizard. Someone different than the others. But, then, he had even been different than the ones different from the normal ones. Feared for his weirdness among his owns, bored by a dull life where there was nothing he couldn't have, except maybe a life. So, that was why, a night, under the moon, he had created the first of his two companions, a human-like creature, so pale and ethereal, almost ephemeral, a moonlight child.  
  
Always calm and collected, with silver eyes and silver hair, when the child had first risen his silver eyes up to him, he had seen the silver heart melt away, leaving the place to an untold love. Then, as he knew he would never come to love the child like the child would have wanted him to, he created another companion, this time, under the fiery light of the sun, a lion-like creature, which would bring laugh and light in their moonlight house. And so did the creature. But, then, Death knocked thrice, announcing its incoming arrival, again, taking another surprise away from him and so he decided to prepare, to give his children another chance, like him.  
  
Dead and reborn, there he was once more, standing under the moon, gazing up to it, putting his life in its hands once more. And as the half-moon, looking like a Cheshire Cat's smile, disappeared and reappeared from behind the clouds, he thought the moon was laughing at him. But then, the moon would never laugh at him. The moon had always been there when he had taken all the most important decisions that had dramatically changed his life.  
  
The moon had been present when he had arisen once more, when the time for his successor to receive his last gift. However, when he had decided to leave again, to go back to the place he shouldn't have left in the first place, after his heart had been broken in a thousands shards, he had seen the moon smiling sadly down him. The moon had also been the first to whom he had whispered his secret, the secret he hid from the purple-eyed girl. The moon had always been there, and so it was again that night. On the night, he was going to propose.  
  
::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::  
  
Hiiragizawa Eriol was, what anyone could and would call a lucky man. Aged of 25, at the head of an extraordinary amount of wealth, from old money, he had been dating since he was 17 one of the prettiest and cleverest girl of the whole town, none to say that she was maybe, if not more, as rich that he was. Both were dark-haired, with glinting knowing eyes for their young ages, both were beautiful in their own ways, both were unique in their own way.  
  
Daidouji Tomoyo, however, wasn't the perfect princess people thought her to be, she was cunning sometimes, devious other times but then, her charm and smile could make an angel kneel. Sure, she was kind, sure, when her laugh rose in the air, people would stop and smile with her, as her laugh and smile were contagious. But, then, when one stepped on Daidouji Tomoyo's property, one should rather be well assured.  
  
A girl had once made a pass on Eriol, a once persistent girl. Everyone knew Eriol only had eyes for Tomoyo, just as every boy and some of the girl population knew better than try to even think of flirting with Tomoyo. It wasn't that Eriol was a possessive type of boyfriend, rather that he disliked people to so openly gape at his girlfriend beauty and wit, like he would say, only him could annoy her like that. As for the girl who had tried to hit on Eriol, Tomoyo had so gently remarked when walking pass her with Sakura at her side, giggling along, what she would do to any girls trying to take Eriol from her.  
  
So had passed their school days, calmly, crazily, laughingly, sadly, gently, precious memories to their young hearts, exactly what he had always yearned for. Being young and alive, not knowing what would happen the next day, but ready to meet it, going ahead, looking behind sometimes, but always walking forward, with a smile and a ready heart. Tomoyo had taught him that.  
  
Eriol smiled in the night. Tomoyo had taught him to look ahead once more. Where Kaho had tried to hold him down, Tomoyo had been pulling on his arm to make him go faster. They would go together on amusement parks, laughing their heads off over the one-too-much drink they had, crying their hearts out at each other's face when they would have a fight, then make up and smile again. That he had never been able to do with Kaho, laugh and live with her. He didn't mind, though, because he could do it with Tomoyo. Sweet Tomoyo who accepted him, him and his weirdness, him and his strange companions, him and his odd ways. Accepted him as he was.  
  
Why did he love her? There were too many reasons and only one in the meantime. He loved her because she was herself. Then, he loved her because her laugh would make him stop and wonder in awe, he loved her too because his soul was bared in front of her, also because hers was as bare as his in his hands. He loved her for the things she couldn't do and the things she could do. Like she couldn't, no matter how many times she tried to, beat him at games or stop herself from dressing either Nakuru or Sakura up. But what he loved the most in Tomoyo was her hair. He could stay hypnotised by the light playing on her hair, for hours, just gazing at her. He loved the odour of her hair, its colour and the feel of it, sliding down his fingers, teasing his skin.  
  
A knock on the door sharply interrupted his musings and dread made the world and time slow down. He knew who the person was, as the person was the owner of the house, rather mansion, he was in. He was standing in the shadows, watching the door, and light, crept into the room. He could hear, from very far away, the sound of the reception held downstairs, and when the door opened to reveal her fully, once more Eriol forgot how to breathe. He had forgotten his whole speech and promises, he had even forgotten how to talk, he had forgotten how to move, he had forgotten how to ask Daidouji Sonomi her daughter's hand.  
  
::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::  
  
Inwardly, Sonomi smiled. She knew, oh lord, yes, she knew how much Eriol loved Tomoyo, just as she knew how much Tomoyo loved him back and if Eriol had stopped for maybe a second and thought, he would have known what she would say. But the boy was too nervous, suddenly too shy, suddenly fearing the worst, for nothing, that was why he was rotten next to the window, his shoulders stiff, his hands shaking lightly by his sides and sweat pearling on his forehead. If Kinomoto-sensei had been there, they would have shared a good laugh together at Eriol.  
  
Oh, well, making him worry that he could lose her, would make him hold him even dearest to his heart, besides, she wasn't one who would let a good joke pass by and not take it. She closed the door behind her, letting the room in its darkness to make him more uncomfortable. Yes, that was mean, but oh, so funny!  
  
"How long have you been dating my daughter, Hiiragizawa?" Her tone sharp and her mouth describing an annoying line, Sonomi went further in the room. Eriol swallowed his saliva hard and opened his mouth but not a sound get out. Things sounded bad. She had called him 'Hiiragizawa' while she would usually call him 'Eriol-kun'.  
  
Maybe it had been a bad idea to let Nakuru ask for his rendezvous. Of course, he knew his Guardian would tell Daidouji-sama why Eriol would ask her to meet him privately, as Nakuru couldn't hold anything from Daidouji- sama in particular. So, he had gone, knowing she was aware of what he would ask. He should have called himself, asking the very day. But, no, no, he had to run away and let Nakuru do it. What if she said he was unworthy of her daughter?  
  
Then, Daidouji-sama stopped walking towards him and raised an eyebrow and starting beating her foot impatiently. Damn it, she was waiting for his answer, now if only he could find his tongue. "Eight. Eight years, Daidouji- sama." Eriol finally spluttered and Sonomi would have laughed outright at his expression.  
  
Thankfully for her, she was used to such reactions with her employees. Sonomi decided to tease him a little more.  
  
"And how long have you been in love with my daughter?"  
  
Eriol gulped down and answered shakily. Damn it, his nickname in college was 'honey tongue' since he could get out of any situations by confusing the authorities figures, meaning the teachers, by some lie so nicely wrapped that they would always fall for it. Only Tomoyo could see through. "Nearly nine years, Daidouji-sama."  
  
Sonomi raised another eyebrow at him and crossed her arms, her foot taping louder. "So, it took you one year to build up enough courage to confess to my daughter." She asked, a bit more biting than usual and Eriol felt his hands shake.  
  
"Y- Yes, Daidouji-sama." That really sounded bad. She was going to say no, she was going to say she had found a more suitable man for Tomoyo. She was going to say no.  
  
But, then Sonomi smiled softly. She had seen the panicked look in his eyes and decided to end the game. "And it took you around ten years to propose."  
  
To say that Eriol was surprised, was an understatement. All of the sudden, he understood what she was doing, teasing him, and a relieved smile came to his lips and a shaky laugh rose from his throat.  
  
"Yes, I guess I'm a bit slow to catch up things." He said, running a trembling hand in his hair, he had to lean on the wall, otherwise he would make a fool of himself and faint at his future mother-in-law feet, if, of course, Tomoyo said yes but it would be lying if Eriol said he didn't know what her answer would be. He knew she loved him, as much as he loved her, the only thing left was to find the guts to tell her, to ask her to share his life forever and that would be a little more difficult to do.  
  
Sonomi laughed with him, when the door burst open, revealing Tomoyo. She marched further in the room, leaving the door open behind her, the light flowing with her inside the dark room. And Eriol stared.  
  
She was dressed in a white cream dress, with no sleeves, hugging her chest tightly, a long shapely leg could been seen whenever she took a step, as the dress was opened on her left side, from the middle of her thigh to her little foot, in her white cream high heel shoe. She had changed so much from their childhood, then teenaged years. It was a woman who was standing there and his breath caught. A woman, his only woman, his love.  
  
Her hair had been placed in a high ponytail, with a dozen of little braids falling out of it, on the mass of her hair, pearls in them. Smiling sweetly, a smile he knew too much as announcing troubles, Tomoyo stopped in front of him, raising her purple eyes to his face. "So, have you ask my mother the permission to propose to me, yet?" Her smile turned mischievous and Eriol's eyes would have fallen out of their sockets if she hadn't laugh gently at him, cupping on of his cheek with a pale hand.  
  
She knew. She knew. She knew. Hell, she knew. "A- ah-Tomoyo!" He tried to say but Sonomi cut him.  
  
"Yes, dear he has." Sonomi smiled at her daughter and turned to leave the room. Over her shoulder, she said, smiling brightly. "Please, do precise him I'd like to see my grandchildren grow up. At the rate, he's going I'll be in my grave because he decides to make a move on you." Tomoyo and Sonomi laughed while Eriol felt all his blood rushing to his cheeks and his glasses started to moisten, causing him to become temporally blind.  
  
"Really, mother." Tomoyo said, admonishing her mother gently causing Sonomi to laugh again. "I already settled that problem." Sonomi's laugh died short in her throat and she whirled around to stare openly at Tomoyo. Eriol thought his last minute had come, but Sonomi's laugh sent him off his feet.  
  
Between hiccups of laughter and tears of joy, Sonomi managed to ask while Eriol oddly thought that the females were mocking him. "How did you convince him?"  
  
Tomoyo sent a strand of hair over her shoulder, smiling sweetly. "I let him believe it was his idea, but Sakura-chan and I had been working for months trying to seduce our respective boyfriends." She paused and Eriol felt his head whirling faster and faster. Probably, he remarked clinically, because of all his blood focused in his head, or rather in his cheeks. "It worked out well for me, but Sakura-chan is still unsuccessful."  
  
Sonomi laughed once more, leaving the room. When the door closed on them, Eriol sighed and shook his head. His legs felt weak and he sat down, exhausted. He looked up at her, seeing her smiling down at him gently, he pulled on her arm, making her fall in his arms, surprised. He hugged her close and brought his mouth to her ear, whispering. "It doesn't happen a lot of time to get me surprised. But each time he had been, somehow an Amemiya woman was involved." He smiled against her ear and she smugly said, burying her nose deeper in his neck.  
  
"And what women we are!"  
  
Eriol chuckled and agreed. "Indeed." A moment passed, leaving the two of them, bathed in moonlight and silence while his hand restlessly played in her hair. "Will you marry me?"  
  
::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::  
  
"Yukito-san!" An excited voice made them turn around. Touya grumbled as he was holding all the groceries they had just bought. Tomoyo was running down the road to meet them, her long wild hair flying behind her, as a flag and Touya stopped grumbling. Rather he eyed her suspiciously: there was like a light coming out of Tomoyo and that could only mean trouble for Hiiragizawa if what Touya thought had happened actually happened.  
  
Yukito smiled and greeted her, as she stopped in front of them, catching her breath. "Good morning, Tomoyo-chan." Unlike Touya, Yukito immediately noticed the simple ring on her finger, but then, since that particular day in a teahouse, Yukito and Tomoyo had been sharing a secret link, an untold understanding, making them notice in first the changes when others had failed to see.  
  
Tomoyo smiled brightly at them and greeted her tall cousin. "Touya-kun! Morning!"  
  
Touya narrowed his eyes and looked her up and down. "Hello. You look radiant, what happened?"  
  
Tomoyo ignored him and focused her attention on Yukito. She had been thinking of that since the night when Nakuru had spilled why Eriol wanted to meet her mother alone. "In fact, I'm here to ask you a favour, Yukito- san." She only hoped he would say yes, as she felt that only him could do it.  
  
Surprised by her intense gaze, Yukito blinked. "Huh? Me?" Touya too was surprised and they both waited Tomoyo to explain herself.  
  
Tomoyo took her courage in her hands and nodded firmly. "Yes."  
  
Yukito smiled again, recognizing her effort and promised. "Then, if I can help you, Tomoyo-chan, I'd be glad to."  
  
Tomoyo took a deep breath and started her explanation. "You know I don't have a father."  
  
"Well, Tomoyo-chan, that's not entirely true." Touya said, interrupting her.  
  
Tomoyo turned to him and smiled sweetly. "Well, he's not here, isn't he?"  
  
Touya shook his head and agreed with her. "You've got a point." For a moment, he had thought it was Hiiragizawa and not Tomoyo there.  
  
Tomoyo turned back to Yukito and started to fidget with her hair. "So, Yukito-san, before Touya-kun intercept again, will you." She paused and bit her lower lip, then taking another deep breathe, she looked up at him, her eyes shining with hope, she added in a quick whisper. "Will you walk me down the aisle?"  
  
Yukito was speechless but Touya didn't lose his tongue and let it know rather loudly. "What?" The people walking by them, turned around to watch what was wrong but all they could see was a beautiful young woman, her hands clasped in a prayer manner, talking quickly to a sliver haired young man with glasses, who looked astonished, carrying some groceries and a crazy dark haired man, with bags and bags of groceries at his feet, moving frantically, as if he was suffocating.  
  
Tomoyo quickly explained, pausing barely to breathe. "I mean, to give me to Eriol. We're having an occidental wedding and I need someone to walk me down the aisle, then give me to Eriol."  
  
"Marriage?" Touya yelled. "Who said you could marry that goat?" But none of his two companions paid attention to him.  
  
Yukito remained speechless for a while, then seeing her pleading look, he smiled and blushed. "I'd love to, Tomoyo-chan." He whispered, his voice heavy with emotion. He, who didn't have a family, was so touched by this little girl that he felt his heart ready to burst. Of course, there was Touya for him, but Tomoyo's request had touched something he had always yearned for. "And I'm honoured you thought about me."  
  
"Hey! Don't ignore me here! Who said you could marry the freak?" Touya yelled once more.  
  
Yukito discreetly wiped his watering eyes and turned to calm Touya. "Maa! Maa! Nii-chan, calm down."  
  
But his male companion wasn't so easily calmed down and he roared once more. "He is not marrying Tomoyo!"  
  
Tomoyo kissed Yukito on the cheek and hugged him, surprising him. Releasing him, she winked at him and thought that she ought to call her fiancé to warn him of Touya's murdering attempts. Tomoyo waved, running away. "Well, I got to go, I have to help Sakura to pick up a dress to try the Syaoran seduction plan n°8. See you!"  
  
Touya ticked and sent another fit. "What?"  
  
Yukito waved back at her. "Have fun! Call me to tell me if she's successful this time!"  
  
Touya would have chased her, if Yukito hadn't placed so innocently a bag of groceries under his feet, causing him to fall down. So, Touya only yelled at her retreating back. "Tomoyo, come back! What's that plan?"  
  
Tomoyo laughed and yelled back. "Promise! Bye!"  
  
::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::  
  
End Epilogue  
  
I hope to hear from you real soon! And to answer some questions, I don't know when I'll write another Eriol and Tomoyo story. This one took a long time to get out of my mind. I do have another story in mind but I still don't know how I could end it and I don't want to start writing without knowing the end. So bear with me!  
  
Kisses and chocolate mikim 


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